Angelo Cielo
by Zahira Raja
Summary: Sawada Tsunayoshi has a secret. You know, besides, the one about how he can sing like a god damn Angel. No, no, no. He's got a bigger secret. One that might cost him his life to keep if his brother has anything to do with it. He is Hacker de Cielo, prodigy hacker. Will Reborn discover all his dirty little secrets? And who will his natural gravitation attract next?
1. Preface

_Six years ago_

Cielo licked his lips as he stared at the bright screen through his glasses. Damn, that firewall was tough shit. It was going to take some serious hacking if he was going to get that son of a bitch down. Alright, fine. He was in for the ride. He stretched his nine-year old limbs, hearing distinct cracks, and pushed up his glasses. He was going to find out where the hell his father was. And then he was going to hack into his father's email and bank account, send him an email from his "Boss" along with travel money and the instructions to take a damn break. Because he'd be damned if his mother continued to cry at the kitchen table every night. He cracked his knuckles and got to work on that last firewall. He already had growing suspicions for his father's job.

Because, damn, for a mining company, this "Vongola" place had some top notch firewalls. But then again, he was only nine. He'd only been hacking for two years now. It could have been his inexperience shining through but he sincerely doubted it.

His screen suddenly blinked, and he grinned. It'd taken some time. He'd had to carefully cover his tracks. He doubted he needed to, but it was better to make a habit out of it. He didn't think his dad's company would appreciate being hacked by a nine year old. Kyoya certainly didn't.

He peered at the screen and the first thing he noticed, was that the database was in Italian. Well fuck, there goes his leverage. Out of all the languages it had to be the one he didn't know? Couldn't it have been Chinese? Or French? Or English or German or something?

He sighed, snagging a flash drive from one of the piles of crap in his room, and stuck it into his _modified _laptop. Very carefully, monitoring to see if the Vongola had gotten even an inkling of his entering, he downloaded everything from the database onto the flash drive. He was patient, and vigilante. He did not want to be caught now. Not before he could learn Italian and crack where the hell his father was.

He frowned. Guess his mom would have to wait a couple of weeks for him to learn Italian. He could do it sooner, but if she wanted him to maintain the C average he had this was for the better. Logging off from the base and closing his computer, Sawada Tsunayoshi could feel the last remainings of the Legendary Hacker, _Cielo, _bleeding from his system.

He smiled, carefully putting the computer back into the secret compartment, also setting his glasses there. He glanced at the time and gnawed at his lips when he saw it. Four in the morning was not a good time to be awake if you had school in the morning. He sighed, looks like he'll be sleeping in math, and failing math, and being hit with chalk when the teacher realized he was sleeping, and then detention, and mocking. He could already vaguely see how his day was shaping up. A frown tugging at his lips, he crept out of his room, wondering if his mother was awake.

He knew, _he knew,_ she still was but he couldn't help but hope that she was asleep in her bed, tears all dried up. He made sure to carefully avoid the creaks in the old wood, and he carefully climbed down the stairs. Now that he wasn't Cielo he had to be careful. He couldn't risk some of his clumsiness bleeding through right now.

One, his twin was asleep. And he had a feeling that he'd have a fist sized bruise on his stomach and a very cranky Ieyetsu if he woke up his brother. And that just wasn't worth it. Cranky Ieyetsu meant cruel Ieyetsu. Cruel Ieyetsu meant that somehow he'd convince someone to steal his lunch money and ruff him up. And fluff it, he needed his lunch!

Very carefully, he settled on the fifth from the last stair and strained his ears for the sounds of crying. _Without fail,_ he heard the sounds of sobbing. And he sat there listening, heart practically dropping out of his chest, all crushed up with the pain of hearing his mother, his angel of a mother, crying about his bastard of a father. He listened for a while longer before he no longer could. Slowly he stepped off the stairs and peeked into the kitchen.

"Mom?" his hesitant voice sounded through the kitchen. Immediately Sawada Nana straightened up and wiped her tears with the quickness of a pro. She turned and gave her son a smile. One that was faker than plastic.

"Tsu-kun!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing up?"

"C-c-couldn't sleep," he stuttered out. He sat on the chair next to her and gently held her hand. Sincere eyes peered up at her. "Mom, are you okay?"

Nana was so startled by the question that her smile fell of her face, leaving it a slate. Before it quickly built back up. "Of course I'm okay Tsu!"

Tsuna frowned. He gripped her hands tighter, before letting them go all together and enveloping his mother in a hug, patting her back comfortingly. "He'll come back." He soothed. "He'll come back real soon, so don't cry mom."

It was the first time anything like this had ever happened. Nana was shell-shocked. He…Knew? How long? She'd been so careful. Tears welled in her eyes again, as she gently hugged her son back. It was rare that something like this happened. She just had so much to do, so many things to take care of. If she didn't work, they couldn't pay the mortgage. Iemetsu's checks, while hefty in money, were far in between, and if they wanted to survive she had to work. Two jobs. And then she had to cook. And then there was Ieyetsu who'd throw a fit if she missed even a single one of his basketball games. And she was just so _tired._ She hadn't noticed that inadvertently, she'd ignored her eldest son. It was just that he was so mature, easily pleased, and he took care of himself so well. He was independent. So she hadn't given him the same amount of love. She was a terrible mother.

And then she cried. Tsuna remained standing, whispering to her sweet words, and gently working through her matted hair. It was a long while before she pulled back, all dried up and red eyed.

"Just remember, mom," Tsuna whispered to her, "I will always love you. And dad does too. He'll come home someday soon. I promise it."

With that he gently, took her hand, leading her upstairs to her room, before giving her a kiss on the cheek and going to his.

True to promise, not even weeks later, Iemeitsu returned, saying that his boss had given him time off, after a two year absence. But by then she'd become sensitive enough to Tsuna presence that she noticed. Iemeitsu never once looked in his direction and only greeting Ieyetsu, who sneered every time Tsuna said something.

It was at that moment she knew she wasn't the only one who'd ignored her gentle son. But this, seemed so much worse. She remembered him from then on. Giving him his much needed attention. Kissing before school and hugs when he got home and much, much more. And every time Ieyetsu's expression when he saw kept getting uglier and uglier.

And then one day a year later, Tsuna was in a talent show. And he sang, one of his favorite songs, Hey There Delilah, an English song. And right after, there'd been an accident. She'd left Tsuna and Ieyetsu outside the School just for a couple of minutes to get her purse. When she came back Tsuna was sprawled on the street, a heavy set man dialing 119. Ieyetsu was at the side of the road, _smiling._

Tsuna stopped speaking after that. He started coming home with bruises, all bloodied. His grades dropped from their normal C average and Ieyetsu started walking around the house, his expression more pleased than ever. Tsuna seemed to shy away from his brother more now, and flinched whenever his brother spoke. And at first, Nana had been none the wiser. She'd been suspicious but she didn't want to believe it she _didn't._

And then she had seen it.

And she had finally realized, her Tsu-kun was being abused. By her husband and her own son no less. Right at that moment, her love for her husband shriveled up and died. And got significantly lesser for her son. And she finally started to question what her husband did for a living. The answer was shocking, world crashing, and then she knew. There was nothing, _not a single thing_, she could do for her Tsunayoshi. Nothing more than take care of his wounds and love him more than anybody in the world ever could.

But she could feel that,

That wasn't enough.


	2. Chapter 1

Hello Lovelies! It's been Seven days, I'm a little late and I hope you can forgive me *Pout* Pwease?

I thought about putting the Author's note at the bottom but I felt that ruined the whole "Dramatic ending!" thing I like to do. So It'll be at the top. There are a couple of important things so LISTEN (READ really).

One, the other Angelo Cielo version, would you like me to continue that way, too? Like a seperate version? Because this is QUITE different.

Two, Um, Tell me what you think. Do YOU think it's boringly the same, kinda different but not really, or completely out of there?

Third, responding to some reviews that caught my interest about the old version

PurpleSong-san: No Nana isn't EXACTLY evil. She was just overworked with Ieyetsu and by accident ignored Tsunayoshi. And yeah, Tsunayoshi shouldn't curse. I'm changed it up a little as you saw in the last chapter ;D. Cielo is the cursey one!

Zleihsh-san: Of course I did! That's what inspired me to do this story! And yeah, it's a little of the same set up so I tried to change it up! I promise this will NOT be like an exact copy.

Ezcap1st-san: You will not be disappointed! Trust me! ;D

OH and do you guys still want the Varia? Because some, ahem, _things, _will be happening in the next chapter.

That's all, Holla back!

Here's the story!

...

Tsuna really couldn't say he was surprised. Being late to school was habitual for him. For one, the night was when Cielo did his work and that could keep him up well into four in the morning.

And second, he had to rely on his internal clock- which _sucked-_ since he didn't have an alarm clock. He believed firmly that if a single sound came out of his room, Ieyetsu would have an excuse to beat him. And, honest to God, he'd rather get bitten to death by Hibari Kyoya, the demon prefect (and his best friend), then let Ieyetsu beat him. At least then he didn't have to deal with the slurs, degrading him, making him feel small, weak and worthless. And he wouldn't have to deal with that small part of his mind crying "_Why?" _That small part that was so crushed and so sad, that it was family, the thing that was supposed to protect him, trying to kill him.

Yeah, he'd rather get bitten to death.

Anyway, back to his morning. This one was a little different than most, but not a rarity. He'd awoken to his ears ringing and his body buzzing, his instincts screaming at him _"Get out! Get _out_, Sky! Move!"_

He never understood why his subconscious called him sky. But he'd like to think it was because it was his favorite thing. The all accepting sky that never turned anyone away. Not even him.

He was quick, not even the slightest bit slow from his only four hours of sleep and daily beating, he sprung from his bed, praying that Ieyetsu had already left and his instincts were not warning him about an incoming beating, but about Kyoya, prowling around on the streets for him. He knew it was a failing hope, considering that he'd never really considered Kyoya as dangerous. It was quite easy to avoid his wraith. Be good, to him, to his Namimori and don't crowd. Nine times out of ten he had it straight. He had no reason to be nasty to Hibari or his Namimori and he had virtually no friends- he had Yamamoto but he didn't really count. Yamamoto was friends with _everybody-_ so he had no reason to crowd or anyone to crowd with. He only got bitten to death for two main reasons. Being late and being so herbivorous it was irritating. And he could help neither so it was a lost cause.

He felt a strong urgent nudge in his mind that reminded Tsuna to get back on task. He forgoes the shower, knowing that if the cause for panic was Ieyetsu, he'd be out in the hall already. It was a horrible idea. Instead he quickly picked out the essentials for school, out of his carefully constructed messy room and was dressed in five minutes. He glanced at his desk. The first thing he'd got when he first finished a hacker job. He prided himself in that desk. It showed him he could be brave. Because he knew when he'd bought the desk and had it delivered to his _front door _someone was going to beat him for it. And that time he was going to end up with more than a few broken bones. He gave it a dismayed frown as he saw what littered the desk. Unfinished homework.

_Nezu-sensei is going to yell at me again, _he thought mournfully as he gathered the half-done homework. Then his frown deepened, a fearful glint entering his eyes. Memories of last night flashed through his eyes as he squeezed him tight, fighting them back and the tears that came with them with a vengeance. _T-That one has blood. I-I'll leave it here._

He was going to be missing questions twelve through twenty three but he could hardly care, though he was certain he'd get detention for it.

He gathered up his undone homework, sweeping the bloodstained pages into the trashcan by his desk that was already overflowing with antiseptic, bloodied cotton and bandages and stuffed his homework into his messenger bag.

Then he heard the footsteps. Loud, thundering, dominating, and violent.

His brother.

The door swung open with a bang. Fearful amber-brown eyes made contact with a lighter more furious pair and that was all it took. Tsuna sprang into action, turning his back to the force to frantically unlatch his window, he pulled it up and just as he was about to climb out an arm latched an iron grip on his neck, cutting off his air supply and dragging him back. He gave silent choking sounds as he was pulled back fingers barely gasping the salvation that was the window.

He thrashed, trying to get the bruising, choking grip of his neck. He got lucky. Ieyetsu stumbled back and tripped on some of his old test papers, releasing the grip and Tsuna as he fell. Tsuna didn't fall with him, his right hand still firmly latched onto the window. Shaking with barely concealed _terror_ he shimmied out the window and onto the roof. His heart thrummed in his body like an excited humming bird, but he was pumping nothing but fear and adrenaline through his veins. He panted as he stepped onto the slick tiles.

He needed to escape. He'd rather fall of the roof than face his brother. He slid across the tiles with unparalleled grace, his Cielo persona snapping into place at the threat of violence, at pure fear for his life, hurriedly making his way to the grass of his neighbor's front yard. If he could just get there, then just today…

_"TSUNA!"_

Even as Cielo, his stomach dropped, he flinched, wobbled, and resisted the urge to throw up in nervousness. He panted, not enough air in the world for his lungs. _I'm going to die, _the thought solemnly, _He's going to beat me again and I'm going to die this time. Oh God. I'm going to die! Hurry, hurry!_

Somehow he stabled himself enough to let his foot slip off the roof, he tucked and hit the ground hard, rolling in the grass silently. He was up again in a flash though and he bolted not caring what injuries he was irritating from that fall. Cielo had pretty much bled away from him and he was only running this fast because of pure _fear _and adrenaline.

After he made it five blocks and was absolutely positive that Ieyetsu was not following him, he slowed down to a walk and tilted his head toward the sky, his burning lungs gulping down air like water.

He was safe, he assured himself. For now.

He walked slowly, taking the back roads this morning, and assessed his injuries from the fall and Ieyetsu. His neck most certainly was bruised. His ribs were also bruised from the fall and his right wrist was sprained. He frowned at that. It looked like he wouldn't be playing for a while. He stretched experimentally. And his back was certainly bruised as well. He'd have to stop by the nurses and fix himself up. His little first aid kit couldn't do much in this situation.

All too soon, Tsuna stood outside Namimori-chu gates, a glaring prefect in his midst. Tsuna sensing his gaze ducked his head, having his fluffy, spiky brown hair as a shield. He was telling the absolute truth when he said he'd rather be bitten to death by Kyoya rather than beat by his brother but that didn't mean that Kyoya-san did not make it _hurt._

"Herbivore-" the man hissed tonfas raised to beat down on his fluffy head, but he stopped. Tsuna waited before lifting his head a little and shooting the prefect a nervous smile. _Ohayo, Kyoya-san _he seemed to be saying.

Hibari Kyoya let out a frustrated, borderline angry, exasperated sigh, before jabbing a tonfa his way, making him flinch, and jerking his head towards his school. "Go to the nurse Herbivore. After that report to class immediately or I'll bite you to death."

Tsuna didn't even hesitate; he scrambled past the prefect with relief deep in his heart. No biting. See? Even as Kyoya's bestest friend he was still in danger of a biting. Kyoya was an enforcer of rules and did not go easy on him just because they were friends…. Okay, maybe he did a little.

As he walked through the hallways already emptied out of students, Tsuna still kept his head down, he did not want to attract attention. Soon he found himself in front of the nurse's office. He was about to open the door when he heard on the other side a very loud, very painful sounding, slap, a screech and then the furious thumping of heels. The door swung open and out stopped the nurse who paused only for a second to glare at him as he attempted to blend with the wall. He was glad that he moved out of the doorway, otherwise he was sure he'd be kissing Kyoya's school floors, and then he'd get bitten to death for getting intimate with his school.

As she stormed down the hallway, Tsuna peered back into the nurse's office, temporarily ignoring his injuries as he rested his sprained wrist on the door frame, bending his bruised back. A man, whose cheek was obviously a very bright red, stood in the center of the room a disappointed frown on his face. Tsuna observed him, feeling a tugging on his mind, as if he'd seen this man before but just couldn't remember where. The man had brown hair that was shaped almost octopus liked and brown eyes, he had stubble along his chin and was dressed in a lab coat.

Somewhere he'd seen this man. He just couldn't remember _where._

Anyway he had wounds to take care of. Meekly he peeked his head inside the room. Sliding in cautiously. The man caught sight of him immediately. A surprised expression crossed his face before it settled into disgruntled disgust.

"What?" he grunted, "You got a wound? Well, I don't treat men."

Tsuna simply nodded accepting this. The tugging had gotten stronger at that statement but he ignored it in favor of crossing the room to rummage in one of the cabinets, right arm held closely to his chest.

* * *

The man watched the kid with calculative eyes. Sawada Tsunayoshi. The one he'd been sent to guard and heal. He frowned. He kid had not even blinked when he stated that he didn't treat men. Even though the man was sure that if the kid had sent him a pout or some puppy dog eyes he would have caved immediately (The kid _did _look like the cutest girl/boy he'd ever seen). No the kid just nodded and started across the room, going straight to a cabinet like he'd been there may times before and needed no direction. Like he treated his own wounds many times.

His eyes flickered to the door, the one the nurse, now assistant nurse, had gone out of and he frowned. He guessed that that woman was not a very good person. He frowned deeper. He loved ladies. They were beautiful, strong beings, who managed to do a man's job many times over and still smile like the sun. But he hated when they were ugly on the inside.

He turned his attention to the kid who was now carefully wrapping his wrist tightly, with the efficiency of a pro. He scanned over his form to identify his injuries. The sprained wrist was obvious, but he could also tell by the labored breath his ribs were broken or at least bruised. He had a very large and very ugly bruise on his neck that could not have come from a rope or other malleable thing, so the kid had not tried to commit suicide and instead someone had done this to him. He was hunched, so his back must have been injured too. Well, shit. First day on the job and there was already some trouble.

Though he had to admit the kid was quite beautiful, more beautiful than some girls. He had thick long eyelashes that brought attention to shimmering, warm, amber-brown eyes, that were large, wide and innocent, but filled with all the wiseness and pain of the world. It actually made his heart ache. He had creamy skin that was marked faintly by silver scars and purpling bruises. His lips were plump, pink, and small, and he was sure the kid had a great smile. He had a lithe frame and was quite short, even for a Japanese boy but it added to his charm. And yet he could see a little bit of muscle in his legs. Not much but just enough for the doctor to know the kid had been running all his life.

He sighed.

* * *

Tsuna heard the man behind him sigh after he finished burning a trail down his body, but opted to pay attention to his wounds instead. He finished wrapping his wrist and gave it an experimental flick, winced and decided he would not be using this had for a least three days. Which posed the problem of how he would pretend to take notes in class. He supposed that he would have to learn to be ambidextrous now. With that in mind, his fingers skimmed over his ribs deciding if they also needed wrapping, and after a slightly pressured push decided, yes, yes they did. And he took his shirt and tie off. Not even _thinking. _Normally he was so careful, not to let anyone see.

* * *

The doctor frowned. Now that his shirt was off, he could see an alarming amount of bruises. Not just the back and the ribs but _all over the boy._ Under the fresh, were the old just yellowing bruises and fading ones that marred the smooth skin all over his back and arms. Sawada didn't mind though, just unfolded some bandages and continued to wrap them around his torso.

The doctor sighed again. "What happened to you?" he asked.

The kid jumped and whirled around as if he had forgot that the man was even in the room. And then the doctor could see more, _worse,_ festering cuts, red clusters of skin, bruises, bumps, lacerations, it just about dropped his jaw. When the boy looked down to see what he was staring at the doctor could see him go ridged and make a mad dash for his shirt that he'd carelessly discarded covering his front as he faced the doctor. His eyes flickered from the doctor to the door many times. And the doctor could see he didn't want to leave, he just _really _wanted the door closed. So he strode over and closed it with a bang, pulling down the blinds, and locking the door. He turned back to the boy and saw he relax just in the slightest.

The doctor crossed his arms over his chest. "Sit down," he ordered, pointing to one of the beds. The boy hurried over to the bed and sat down obediently. The doctor flashed him stern eyes that said, _And stay there._

And Sawada nodded, hesitantly.

The doctor turned to the same cabinet Sawada had been rummaging in and pulled out some bruise cream, cotton, alcohol, and antiseptic, along with some band aids and more bandages.

Arms full he headed back to Sawada and started to meticulously clean the cuts, ignoring the boy's wincing every now and then. He deserved it for being an idiot and letting whatever happened happen.

As he was working on a particularly horrible one that seemed to be caused by a butter knife of all things, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to an amusing sight. Sawada practically had steam coming out of his ears at how hard he was blushing. His face scrunched up in shy hesitance. And he seemed to say, _And what's your name?_

The doctor rolled his eyes, _idiot._

"Shamal," he grumbled.

* * *

And suddenly it all clicked in Tsuna's head as he went still.

_Trident Shamal. A doctor and assassin for hire who specializes in chemical warfare. He uses a variety of mosquitos as his weapon all holding rare diseases and cures. Last seen three years ago working for the Tempesta Familiga as the heir's tutor. Has been said that he is friends with Reborn, the number one hitman in the world, and therefore has connections to the Vongola. His personality is highly selfish but is a very efficient doctor. Is said to love women. And will not treat men._

His brain suddenly recovered from its screeching halt and he gave the man a smile, unable to tell him his name. He frowned at that. It was rude. Though he wasn't sure he wanted a mafiosa to know his name.

Shamal rolled his eyes. "And you're Sawada Tsunayoshi." He said firmly.

Tsuna's brain did another mid freeze before he smiled even more nervous now. Trident Shamal hated men. So there was only one reason that he'd remember a man's name. Tsuna could safely cross out that he just cared about his job and memorized the students' names and faces because he was positive he'd only remember the girls. It is said that Shamal can not even tell one male from another. SO, he could only assume it's because of a job. He tensed, sending Shamal a nervous smile in accordance to his worried glance. Which meant one of two things. Someone had sent him to kill Tsuna. Or someone had sent him to protect him. Considering he didn't have the butt end of a mosquito in his neck and poison running through his veins he could say it was to protect him. But that raised another question. Who'd want to protect him? Who from the friggin _mafia _would want to protect him? He knew his father was in the mafia but that man didn't give a flip about him.

A strong tug. His mind gave a strong tug, and mirth flooded him. Tsuna winced. Sometimes he wondered why his own intuition had feelings. Heck, he wondered why it knew things he didn't. But anyway it was laughing at him right now. He frowned. Stupid intuition. But, he assured himself, I'd tell him when the time was right.

"Well," he was brought back to reality by Shamal who sighed stretching his back. And Tsuna noticed how he didn't hurt. He glanced down at himself and marveled. Every cut, and bruise was expertly dealt with and sealed up with bandages and band aids. He'd never been that good.

He looked up and practically beamed at the doctor. _Thank you!  
_Shamal grunted your welcome.

And before the doctor could do more, Tsuna whipped on his shirt –his ribs hurt at that and he reminded himself that he still had to take it slow- and practically skipped out the room, his messenger bag slung over his shoulder.

The hallways were quiet absolutely silent. And for a stupid, Tsuna-ridden moment, he wondered why. And then,

BAM.

It hit him.

_HIE! I'm late for class!_ He screeched in his mind.

He bolted for his math class. He didn't know what time it was but, he had to think he was majorly late. He could only hope that Nezumi-sensei let him off.

* * *

Shamal stared at the open door of the clinic. He hummed. He hadn't even been able to give the kid his pass. Ah, oh well. He was sure that the teacher would understand.

* * *

He threw open the door to his classroom, panting heavily, messenger bag astray. He fixed himself as he panted, he hadn't looked at the class yet, fretting over his clothes. ( He'd rather not get bitten to death, thank you.) It wasn't until he could feel burning stares that he looked up. Out of the stares he recognized most of them. Most were mocking stares or exasperated stares, there were a few angry stares such as Nezu-sensei and then there was a downright furious stare coming from his brother. He shook his head. He didn't want to think of his blond brother now. There was only so much his brother could do in school so it was better that he didn't focus on him too much. There was another stare though, Unfamiliar. It kinda burned. A blazing furious heat. But he could tell it wasn't really directed at him but more of the world. He looked up to meet the blazing stare.

A silver-haired, Italian looking student was standing next to his teacher. Obviously he was just as late as Tsuna, but he didn't really seem to care. He looked like a delinquent. But he had to admit he was handsome. His silver hair hung past his ears and shimmered and he had beautiful emerald green eyes that sparkled angrily. He looked strong and his skin was slightly tanned. He was, all in all, very nice looking. Couple that with an askew tie, a shirt unbuttoned at the top a jacket thrown over his shoulders and a skull belt and he was "hot" as the girls said. But he looked unhappy, you know, with that scowl on his face. He looked as if someone had shot his puppy in front of him, squeezed the blood out of it, let it rain over his house, and then did the salsa over its grave.

Yes, he looked _that _unhappy.

Tsuna's first thought was that he was sad that the transfer student was going to get bitten to death on his first day. He kinda pitied him. And then there was a strong tug. Like something was trying to pull his brain out his head. And he knew. He knew he knew the transfer student somehow. It was just like Shamal but stronger, as if it were more than just _knowing about _the transfer student (which was frightening enough. The only people he knew were the people from Namimori, where he obviously wasn't from, and the people from his Cielo persona. Which was also _very _bad because Cielo associated himself with criminals and mafia.) it was _knowing _the transfer student. He could see something. Something his intuition was trying to hint at.

The transfer student was _sad._ He was _so_ sad and _so mad._ Somehow, one day, everything about him, everything he thought he knew about him, about the world, just crumbled under his feet. And like fine china he went shattering along with it. And he tried. He tried _so hard_ to tape the pieces back together by using anger as a way out. Explosive anger. Explosive anger to let somebody know just how hard he was crying on the inside.

And it was just like him. Except Tsuna didn't use anger to cry out. He used not crying out, to cry out. To let someone know, "Hello, something is wrong here." But it _wasn't _working, for either of them. It just wasn't.

"Dame-Tsuna, where have you been!?" sneered Nezu-sensei snapping him out of his little haze. "You're already bringing down the class average with your stupidity; don't bring down the school attendance too, you degenerate!"

Tsuna's face colored pink as the class was suddenly alight with roaring laughter. He blushed a little harder when he noticed his twin also laughing, just as hard. The only ones who weren't laughing where Nezu himself, who had settled only for a smug look, the transfer student, but then again he looked permanently ticked and Tsuna doubted something as measly as this would get him to laugh, and Yamamoto who had settled for one of his rare frowns of disappointment. Yamamoto met his eyes to give him an apologetic smile. Tsuna quickly looked away before Ieyetsu could see. Yamamoto was Ieyetsu's friend he reminded himself. Any contact with Ieyetsu's friends that didn't involve getting a pounding would result in an immediate beating from Ieyetsu. Instead his eyes settled for the floor.

He didn't need Yamamoto's apology anyway. It wasn't the mocking that had made him blush in shame. Tsuna peeked up from his fluffy fringe of hair at his classmates. It wasn't these people. No it was different with them. He feared them, yes. He feared his father, he feared his brother, he feared what could happen to his mother, but also, on some level, he had a deep disappointed pity. Instead of choosing to help the person who couldn't help himself, the one beat, hurt, stolen from, and sad, they choose to mock him, and Tsuna wholly believed one day they would regret their actions. But right now he had settled on a simply definition of them.

They were not good people.

Their opinions held no weight with him. So no matter how hard they laughed, it would probably never reach him. And no matter how hard they hit his small, frail body, he would never allow himself to break, to cry, to shout. Not with them.

No, what had made him blush was the presence of his brother (Who often wasn't in class, but somehow was still the class favorite) and the presence of a new person whose opinion had not been judged yet.

Tsuna dipped his head at his teacher, giving him acknowledgement without respect, and walked to his desk. The roaring laughter had calmed into loud snickers and whispers, and without meaning to, he listened in.

_"Look its dame-Tsuna."_

_"Geez, I wonder why he even bothers to come to school, he'll just FAIL like always anyway."_

_"I know look at him, he's pathetic!"_

_"Useless!"_

_"Who needs him? He's worthless."_

His disappointment came back with a vengeance but he simply continued on to his seat, carefully avoiding the array of legs and desks. Sure, once in a while, he scaled buildings with nothing but his fingertips, and walked across ledges while dodging bullets, but those times were Cielo. Those were Cielo's doings. So he had to be careful. Because he was Tsuna.

He liked Cielo. He liked compiling all his good points into a single personality and _doing _something. Cielo was different. He was confident and strong and agile and he would not back down. He liked that. More than he liked the real him.

As he took his seat he heard Nezu clear his throat. "Now class, this is Gokudera Hayato. He is transferring in from Italy. Please be kind to him. Anything you want to say Gokudera-san?"

"Gokudera Hayato," he said coolly, meeting the eye of everyone in the room. And then his face scrunched in rage, "I hate you all." As his eyes met Tsuna's, Tsuna could hear the, _especially you, _he hadn't bothered to add.

Tsuna merely blinked as the class went into uproar. Girls "Kyaa~"'d over his bad-boy attitude and the guys roared at him for the insult. And Tsuna felt a tug. And then there was a block. As if his own intuition was hiding something from him. He frowned.

Gokudera che'd, and strolled down a row of desks, not even bothering to ask where his seat was, honestly, Tsuna didn't think he cared. He walked past Tsuna's desk and seared him with a glare, before his eyes flickered over to his twin, who sat front row, and seared him with an even hotter glare, before he then came back to Tsuna. Tsuna simply observed him, finding more and more evidence to support his previous idea. The way the boy carried himself, like he was always expecting an attack, shying away from contact. The hardened posture and haunted eyes that told of someone who saw things no child his age should see. It burned beneath the anger in his eyes and beneath that was sadness that could be seen in the set of his shoulders.

Tsuna's eyes softened as he peered up at Gokudera.

Gokudera scowled at him, a confused, analytic tint entering his eyes.

Tsuna just hoped his face could convey everything he felt right now.

_Sorry, _he wanted to say, _sorry._

* * *

Sorry, the boy seemed to be saying. Yet there was no movement of his lips, the kid simply stared at him. It was like an unspoken word. But Gokudera could tell that the bastard was not sorry for whatever he believed he'd done to upset him but sorry for him. It was like the little bastard had taken a peek into his soul and Gokudera didn't like it. So he kicked over his desk. The kid fell with a flail and it stimulated a roar of laughter in the class. But the kid barely minded them, simply righting his desk and gathering his supplies, ignoring the jeering insults being shot at him.

Gokudera would never admit it, but he actually felt a little bad afterwards, as the kid looked up at him with a deeply hurt tint to his brown eyes. But he ignored it, and settled into the seat behind the kid, intent on watching this "Sawada Tsunayoshi". His eyes also flickered to the other twin, "Sawada Ieyetsu" and his glare darkened. That one was the one. The one he was going to have to fight for his position. And he'd be damned if he lost. But he was also very curious. His eyes turned back to the kid. Why Reborn would give explicit instructions to guard over this kid like a god damn hawk. He could see that the kid was a tad bit on the un-athletic side, but still. As the supposed tenth's brother, he should be able to do _something._

Class started. And one Sawada Tsunayoshi could feel the burn of the calculative glare of Gokudera on his back, but paid it no mind.

* * *

Tsuna had been right when he had stated that today, was not going to be his best day. He was also right when he said that he was going to get detention for not doing his math homework. And then, the one time he'd wished he was wrong, happened. And it turned out that Ieyetsu did see him look at Yamamoto, and yes, now, he was paying the price for it.

He silently gagged, as someone foot logged itself in his stomach, and another slammed down on his bruised back. Someone's fist clipped him on the cheek, and absentmindedly, the thought of how his mother would react to that, and then he shook that thought out of his head because he knew he would never let his mother see. Someone's elbow slammed down on his head making him go dizzy with the pain, and finally he let himself collapse on the floor, curling inward to lessen the target. His whole body ached. But not a single sound came from his mouth, blood, yes, but not a sound. He just clutched at his head, and curled himself up, only leaving his sides for the slaughter. And they did a damn good job too. Someone's foot slammed down on his bruised ribs, and he let out a silent scream of pain as his bruised ribs became his broken ribs.

Morbidly, he thought about how now he would have to go see a doctor. He _hated _hospitals with a passion. One, hospital bills were charged to his erratic father who _would _come back from "mining" just to beat the shit out of him. Two, injuries meant his mother fussing and worrying about him and never leaving his side. Three, with Nana always by his side would mean that Ieyetsu would sit and prowl, slowly building up, and up, until Tsuna was better, and then he'd unleash, more ugly and more violent.

Honestly, his relationship with his brother confused and disturbed him. Because on one had he loved his brother more than the world and would do anything for him. _Anything._ On the other hand there was this fear, this all-consuming fear that just wanted him to run. Run far, and fast, as far away as he could get before being dragged back. And then there was another part, that was so _outraged_, a part that drowned out the part that was sad, and screamed, and screamed, and screamed at him. Telling him to do things he did not want to do. And currently he was forcing that part the backest parts of his mind, lest he become a murderer of some sorts.

With one last kick to his broken ribs that had waves of unaltered pain rushing over him, the bullies sneered at him. "That's what you get for looking at Yamamoto with those love eyes, freak. You sicken me."

Ah, so that's what Ieyetsu had told them. That Tsuna had been crushing on Yamamoto. Tsuna pondered this to get his mind off the pain. Yes, Yamamoto was handsome, with a strong jawline, a prominent tan, spiky black hair, and bright, sparkling mocha eyes, and an ever entrancing smile on his face. But Tsuna just didn't see him like that. He didn't see anyone like that. Not even, kind, beautiful, Kyoko. He acknowledged beauty, yes, but he'd never found someone, male or female, that made his heart beat like he'd have a heart attack at any moment.

He heard a snort, and through eyes lidded with pain he glanced up at the retreating figures as his assaulters. He then painfully and slowly dragged himself up. He felt a weight. A sadness, an anger, a weariness. And his mind blanked out. He knew what he had to do, where he had to go. He dragged himself until he was upright, leaning on the wall for support, and then continued to drag himself, down the hallway, to the stairs, up six flights, and to the roof. Mentally, in the backest part of his mind, he calculated the odds that Hibari would be there. And immediately the prefect's schedule (Which he had _not _hacked.. Okay maybe he did. Well sue him, Hibari is scary when you interrupt his nap) popped up in his head. A meeting at noon. Good, he would not be on the roof. He did not want the Skylark to fuss over him today. ( Yes, Hibari Kyoya _fussed. _Because he was a possessive bastard who didn't like his property injured in any way shape or form.)

He stumbled to the steel door of the rooftop, his body burning, but he ignored it. This was something he needed for his soul, he could care less about his body right now.

He pushed the door open, struggling and straining his wounds, and immediately a small, almost invisible smile slide onto his blank lips as a soft breeze playfully ruffled his blue school vest. Carefully, he shuffled his way to the ledge of the school, which separated him from his end, with a fence. He sat and leaned against the fence, taking heavy labored breaths. It was lunch now. He was sure. He was also sure he'd be starving this time around. But that was in the back part of his brain.

He licked his lips readying himself for what was coming. They flooded him, as he expected. All his emotions; the pain, the sadness, the anger, the desperation, the grief that was ripping him apart, and the terrifying fear.

He opened his mouth, and sung.

_~Worn, Tenth Avenue North~_

_"I'm tired I'm worn_

_My heart is heavy_

_From the work it takes to keep on breathing"_

A gentle, hoarse voice. So beautiful, melodious and heavenly flowed from Tsuna's lips. Like a true Angel. A pained, fallen angel, on the verge of death. It shook with barely concealed emotion.

_"I've made mistakes_

_I've let my hope fail_

_My soul feels crushed by the weight of this world_

_And I know that you can give me rest_

_So I cry out with all that I have left…."_

* * *

Hibari Kyoya was a very simple person. He despised many things, and he made it very clear exactly what he despised. His sister, who had been a very gentle soul, had once told him not to resort to violence so quickly and instead explain to the person you're angry with why you're angry. And when she passed, he took it to heart.

Though, sadly his vocabulary when irritated proved to be very small. Consisting only of "You are crowding." "You are violating Namimori Rules" and "You are irritating." Most of the time. It was very hard to get his feelings through. But hey, he tries.

One of the things he despised most, was being awakened from his sleep. He ruled Namimori. And contrary to belief, ruling did not all consist of fighting and "biting people to death". It also consisted of a horrifying amount of paperwork, and meaningless meetings. He rarely really slept. But this time, today, he had managed to intimidate the herbivores to end his meeting early so he could take a nap with his Hibird on the roof, when god damn it, the roof door opens.

He hears dragging footsteps and heavy almost pained breathing and he hisses under his breath.

Whoever the herbivore was, he was going to bite him to death.

He stretched like a cat and yawned, flipping to his side.

Tomorrow. Right now, was Hibari sleep time.

And then he heard another deep breath, more controlled than the others and then….

Sound.

_"I'm tired I'm worn_

_My heart is heavy_

_From the work it takes to keep on breathing"_

Soft, melodious, hoarse, and, Kyoya hated to admit it, it sounded like an Angel. The hoarseness added a lovely affect that deepened the pained voice and added to its natural beauty. It was heartfelt, true, and pained. And familiar.

He frowned. It was that herbivore. _His _herbivore. Hibird tweeted sadly from his shoulder, and Hibari nodded extending a finger for him to land on. Hibird stopped there briefly, before shooting off and spiraling down from the upper part of the roof top.

_"I've made mistakes_

_I've let my hope fail_

_My soul feels crushed by the weight of this world_

_And I know that you can give me rest_

_So I cry out with all that I have left…."_

Hibari stretched again before sitting up a frown on his face. Stealthily he jumped down in front of his herbivore and observed the damage.

Sawada Tsunayoshi. His friend of seven years, since the herbivore broke into the security system of the Disciplinary Committee. An extremely delicate herbivore, who had the soul strength of a lion. Hibari had no doubt that the herbivore could become a carnivore, if he tried. _But, _the damn copy-herbivore, also known as Sawada Ieyetsu, would not let that happened. And his herbivore could not be convinced to go any other way. He would not let Hibari bite the irritating herbivore, or intimidate him. Hell he wouldn't even let Hibari protect his herbivore! Hibari hated being helpless. He hated it with a burning passion. So he made a point to bite the copy-herbivore as hard as he could without sending him to the hospital (which then would result from disappointed, betrayed looks from his herbivore) or his early grave.

Hibari's eyes scanned over his herbivore's lifeless frame as more notes came from his mouth.

_"Let me see redemption win_

_Let me know the struggle ends_

_That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn_

_I Wanna know the a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life_

_And that's dead inside can be Reborn_

_Cause I'm worn"_

His breath was heavily labored, possible broken ribs. His face was bruised and cut, possibility of an infection if not treated soon. Wrist was definitely broken. And, Hibari would never admit it, but that made him actually sad. He enjoyed the herbivore's music. And more importantly he enjoyed how the herbivore enjoyed his own music.

_"I know I need to lift my eyes up_

_But I'm too weak_

_Life just won't let up _

_And I know that you can give me rest_

_So I cry out with all that I have left"_

Hibari saw a slight hateful glint enter the herbivore's eyes. Hateful of himself. Hibari's frown deepened into a scowl. Focus. He was hunched uncomfortably, possibly bruised back. He had a split lip, and winced uncomfortable at every flex of his stomach, possibly bruised stomach. He had a black eye and a large cut on his cheek from where a boot had scuffed him.

Suddenly his herbivore's voice strengthened and his head tilted towards the sky.

_"Let me see redemption win_

_Let me know the struggle ends_

_That you can mend a heart that's frail and torn._

_I wanna know a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life_

_And all that's dead can be reborn_

_Cause I'm worn_

_My prayers are wearing thin_

_And I'm worn _

_Even before the day begins_

_I'm worn_

_I've lost my will to fight_

_I'm worn_

_Heaven come and flood my e-"_

His herbivore spluttered, lifeless eyes going wide with alarm as he broke into a series of very painful sounding coughs. Immediately, Hibari was there, gently patting his back and stroking his fluffy hair. His herbivore whimpered, curling into Hibari, eyes rolling into the back of his head. And he held him. Because Hibari knew that his herbivore was in no shape to do anything except rest, and no matter how much Hibari wanted to prowl around his school and _viciously _bite the offending herbivores who had done this to _his _herbivore to _fucking death, _the state of his herbivore was more important. Tsunayoshi could recover from his broken bones but Hibari doubted that his lion hearted herbivore could recover the broken fragments of his heart without him.

Though when Hibari saw blood splatter onto the pavement, he realized that simply holding his herbivore was not going to be enough and if he didn't get him to a doctor soon, Tsunayoshi was going to be much, much worse.

Hibird barely moved from his perch atop Tsunayoshi's head (tweeting in a failed attempt to comfort the Herbivore that his master and he so liked) when Hibari lifted the herbivore into his arms. Hibari took it slow. He didn't run, not wanted to jostle Tsunayoshi in his state, but he took long steady strides to make up for it (Occasionally, though, he growled when Tsunayoshi made a pained noise, because he was not going fast enough). And soon (Not soon enough) he kicked down the door to the nurse's office, faintly noting the startled look of the new management.

"Heal him." He growled out.

He saw the doctor about to refuse with that dreaded statement about how he didn't heal men, before his eyes glanced down at who was in his arms. His eyes went impossibly wide before narrowing in concentration.

"Put him on the bed." The doctor ordered.

Hibari obediently, carefully laid his Tsunayoshi on the cot, eyes softening the faintest amount when the Herbivore grunted in pain, before settling himself down in the chair beside him and sending the doctor a dark look.

He saw the phone in his hands.

The doctor made eye contact with him and he growled, "No hospitals."

The doctor didn't even blink just placed down the phone and strode back over to the bed to do his work.

His herbivore whimpered, eyes briefly flashing open. Disoriented it took him a while before he found Hibari but when he did he stretched out a hand to the demon prefect, mouthing brokenly his name.

Hibari instinctively took the hand, his eyes focused on Tsunayoshi and he did not remove it at all during the whole procedure.

_Kyoya._

* * *

Reborn fucking loved his job. And he loved to be ahead of it. He loved to be informed. Because misinformation could get him killed, and he did not want that to happen. His job was a dangerous one with few highlights. He got rid of the scum of the world, got good target practice, and helped out Non at the same time.

And honest, he treasured the moments where he got to teach. He always got a certain feeling of pride when he taught and a student learned something. He'd never had kids. And he probably never would, it was too dangerous a world for any kid he wanted. So he treated each of his few students as if they were his children. He was fiercely protective, but left them room to grow.

And he would never admit how happy he was when Nono called and told him he had more students to train. The miniature hitman hummed, wiping blood from his Leon gun as he thought back.

_It had been a day where he'd kill to do something different._ _. Not that he didn't kill already._

_When his phone rang. His personal phone. The one reserved for emergencies, Arcobalenos, and Nono._

_He flipped it open. "Yeah?"_

_"Reborn, I have a mission of you." Nono said, in his old withered voice._

_Reborn withheld a sigh. Probably another assassination or recon mission. "Yes Nono." He said anyway._

_"As you now Reborn, I'm getting on in age."_

_"Yes," Reborn answered hesitantly not knowing where this was going._

_"It's about time to train a new heir. With my sons gone I had been trying to hold it off but, Reborn. I have a grandson. Two really."_

_Reborn hummed into the phone sensing something. Something interesting was about to happen._

_"Reborn, I'm entrusting you with the tutorship of my grandson, Sawada Ieyetsu, to become Vongola Decimo. But you must promise me to keep his brother out of it. He is not to know about the mafia."_

_Reborn just about grinned. "Yes Nono."_

_He ended the call and dialed a new number._

_"Frederica? It's Reborn. Get me everything you can about Sawada Ieyetsu. From his daily routine, to his enemies, to his friends, to his friendimies. I want everything. Ah, and everything about Sawada Tsunayoshi, the twin."_

_He scrunched up his nose at that name. It was hard not to know the Sawada boys when you knew Iemeitsu. Though oddly enough Reborn remembered Iemeitsu stopped talking about the twin about nine years back. Ma, whatever, he'd figure it out._

And damn, Frederica was good. He got everything from his favorite slippers to how beautiful he thought the sunset was on a scale of one to ten. And he put that shit to good use. He called in a favor on Shamal after considering how injured the twin got often, and how injured his new student was going to be. He gave the man explicit instructions to treat his male patients or Reborn was going to put a bullet through his skull. And then he'd moved Gokudera into play, setting up the three fouths Italian to protect the twin and watch the Decimo candidate. And then he'd told Bianchi about his movement to Japan and made sure the Bovinos knew exactly where he was going, so they could send the irritating cow child. He set up cameras all around Namimori through associates he knew and scouted possible guardian candidates through them. Though, the one place he was not able to camera was Namimori Middle, the most important. Because apparently the Disciplinary Committee did daily sweeps and Hibari Kyoya, head of the Committee and Cloud Guardian Candidate, did not appreciate being spied on. Ma, no matter. He'd find out what he needed to know. He was a hitman after all.

"After you Reborn-san," the Japanese flight attendant said. He started up the steps to the Vongola private plane with a smile.

"Thank you"

* * *

Once apon a time, Tsuna had thought that floating in and out of consciousness was a peaceful non-painful experience. Though soon after his hopes were crushed. All it really meant was that you'd have to deal with the pain in silence, which he guessed he already did often enough. He only made sounds with Kyoya. Because Kyoya was Kyoya. He was safe. Unlike most he could not be bribed, or intimidated into submission. And he was strong. He couldn't be beaten. So he didn't have to worry about his brother gunning for Kyoya. In fact he had to worry just the opposite. He now had to be on the lookout for Kyoya gunning for _Ieyetsu._

Despite his exasperation it truly made him smile when he saw how protective of him the Skylark was. And he was reminded how it was Cielo who had brought them together.

Well, he was floating through consciousness, he might as well take a trip down memory lane. He remembered that day. It was the day he'd first read up on hacking and wanted to try it out, and he'd gotten detention just they day prior and was hoping he could fix that…

_"I am so stupid," Tsuna whispered to himself, as he gnawed on his lips, staring at the library computer screen._

I was still speaking then, Tsuna mussed.

_But well he'd already began, might as well continue. Attentively he started to type and it wasn't long until he got _really _into it. So into it that he temporarily forgot who he was. Shy Tsuna all but disappeared._

_Half an hour later, he snorted. Already used to the Disciplinary Committee server, and hastily took down another firewall. Too easy. It wasn't long until he was in and he smirked. He was good._

_"One Sawada Tsunayoshi for detention after school, Friday?" he mumbled under his breath, "Oh no, no, no, I think not." Grinning he deleted that entry and logged off the server._

_With a satisfied smile on his face, he returned the book about hacking back to the shelves, shut of the computer, and said good bye to the librarian. Dinner that night was Salisbury steak his favorite._

Hmm, Tsuna mussed as he came into consciousness. Back then covering my tracks never occurred to me. And god I remember the next day, when I thought that Salsbury steaks was going to be my last meal.

_The next day was a fairly easy day for him. He went to school smug. Went to class smug. And was going to walk home smug, without detention, when a tonfa mysteriously lodged itself into his throat as he was pinned up against the wall of Namimori Elementry._

He remembered that a seven year old Kyoya was no different from the now Kyoya. Except maybe more vicious. He was terrifying and angry.

_"Herbivore," Hibari growled._

_Young Tsuna squeaked, pure fear in his eyes. He never thought that Salisbury steaks was going to be his last meal. But then again he'd never thought he'd die by biting either._

_"Are you the one who illegally entered the Disciplinary committee data base?"_

_Tsuna merely shrieked. Hibari then pressed the tonfa deeper into his throat. His vision started to get spotty. Alarm started to settle into his bone and in a rare display of the power he was sure he didn't have, he gave a battle cry, grabbed the arm that held him with both hands, twisted it and slammed the body that held him to the ground. Leaving Hibari stunned from the sudden blow._

_Then he shot up and ran away with a loud "HIE!"_

_From then on the fearless Skylark stalked him, interested in the power the cute little herbivore displayed. And each time he'd have to sneak up on him (Because if Tsuna saw him coming he'd run no matter where he was. Hallway run. Outside run. Recess run. Classroom, jump out a window and run.) Only to be flipped and dropped. And then the Herbivore would utter a loud scream and run off. The herbivore had even hacked his computer to download his schedule just to avoid him. How did he know? The herbivore had still not learned how to not leave a trail and after visiting the library so much, as he identified where the source of the hack was, the librarians remembered him. And finally, finally he cornered the cute little bunny (till this day Tsuna was sure that Hibari despised his weakness of cute, defenseless animals) and…_

Tsuna floated back into consciousness. He tried to grasp back onto the remainders of the memories but they slipped away. He frowned. Fine then he'd wake up. With a groan, he blearily blinked open his eyes, trying to refocus on the blurry figure in front of his eyes.

"Tsunayoshi."

Tsuna hummed happily. It was Kyoya! He rolled his head around a bit seeking out the room, before they returned to the Skylark. "Kyoya!" he said cheerily. "I-" and then another figure came into view.

_Trident Shamal_

And he clamped up, his throat uncomfortably clogging. He tried to give a noise of distress but it didn't work. He glanced mournfully at Kyoya.

"Herbivore," Kyoya sighed. Tsuna's hazy mind winced at the change of title. He was called herbivore when Kyoya was disappointed in him. Then Kyoya turned his head to Shamal. Just a slight incline, his sharp eyes still trained at Tsuna who was pouting at his inability to speak. "How long will the morphine last?" he demanded. Tsuna smiled happily. _Because Kyoya doesn't "ask" _he thought cheerfully _he demands._

"For another half hour or so." Shamal answered in a relaxed tone.

"Hn." Hibari grunted. "Then I'll be taking him." With that Kyoya scooped him up and continued to walk towards the doorway (The door lay in shattered pieces on the floor), crossing the threshold into the hallway. The hallways were silent, and devoid of life, not a soul except for Kyoya and Tsuna.

Finally Tsuna's throat cleared again as his arms encircled Kyoya's neck getting comfortable in the arms of his best friend bridal style. "Where are we going Kyoya?" he inquired with a tilt to his head.

Kyoya grunted, looking straight ahead. "To my office, Herbivore."

Tsuna giggled cutely.

"Shut up, Tsunayoshi." Kyoya growled.

Tsuna pouted. Mean Kyoya.

* * *

While Hibari really didn't mind listening to the Herbivore's voice, which he didn't get to hear often, he knew if anyone, _anyone _else heard his herbivore they'd tell the other herbivores and then somehow it would lead to the annoying copy-herbivore who would then proceeded to beat his Herbivore. And he did not want that to happen.

Anyway the Herbivore was too cute for his own good. That slight innocent incline of his head, sent Hibari's heart racing uncomfortably fast. He'd have to remind the herbivore to stop doing that. And then get checked out by a doctor, in case, you know, he was at risk of a heart attack. He did rather like this new Tsunayoshi. He guessed a drugged Tsunayoshi was happier. He smiled more, and more freely, he giggled, he _talked. _And Kyoya thought he was wonderful. He liked his Tsunayoshi. And he would like if his Tsunayoshi could be happier like this one. Then, Kyoya thought, maybe he himself could be happier. His Tsunayoshi talked very little. He remembered how shocked he was, when one day after three years of friendship, his Herbivore came to school after weeks out for a car accident and refused to talk. It hadn't taken little Hibari long to figure out someone had done this to him, but no matter how much he pestered and _pleaded _and threatened, the Herbivore would just smile at him sadly and shake his head, sadness and terror in his eyes. And then it had taken Hibari two years to finally get it out of him, why his normally loud and energetic herbivore was silent.

He went ballistic. Understandably. It had taken Tsunayoshi, three teachers, Tetsuya, and his sister to stop him from murdering Ieyetsu in cold blood. And to this day he regretted that he ever let anyone stop him.

Hibari bent down to open the door to his office, kicking it closed behind him and locking it. And then he set a pouting Tsuna on his couch and slide behind his desk with a mound of paperwork waiting for him, to wait out the morphine.

* * *

Trident Shamal already hated and adored Sawada Tsunayoshi. Hated him for making his first day at this whole "heal and protect him" thing so hard. And adored him because the little bunny was damn hard to _truly _hate. He was too damn cute. He was polite and mentally strong and just like a damn woman. With a heart of gold, he managed to do a man's job many times over and still give a little smile here and there, despite everything he was going through.

Shamal didn't know where the earlier injuries had come from but he was absolutely sure that the later injuries had come from bullies. And for once, Shamal found himself truly and genuinely hoping that someone, anyone helped the boy. He had placed his hopes in the fiercely protective Skylark who had glared at him every time he moved, mentally. His eyes never strayed from Tsunayoshi, but it was like the Skylark had eyes on the back of his fucking head, because sometimes he could feel an intense glare on him as if daring to hurt the injured boy on the bed more than necessary. He saw how the Skylark had never moved his hand from Sawada and the worried tint to his normal glare. And how he twitched when Sawada gave a silent scream when Shamal set his ribs back in place.

He truly hoped someone helped the boy. Shamal sighed and readied himself for the verbal thrashing Reborn was going to give him over the phone. With a groan he lifted his personal cellphone to his ear and mentally debated which of Reborn's numbers to call. Deciding that this _indeed _was an emergency he dialed his person phone. He listened as it dialed before a click sounded.

"Do you want to be gutted?" Reborn answered.

"I'd rather not," Shamal said smoothly and then he turned serious, "I have news."

Reborn paused for a second on the phone. "Which one?"

"Tsunayoshi."

He could almost see Reborn raise his eyebrow at the familiarity, as he usually called Tsunayoshi "the twin".

"Do tell," Reborn's voice was amused and serious at the same time.

"Today alone, Sawada Tsunayoshi, sustained a slight concussion, three broken ribs, a split lip, a black eye, a cut on his cheek, a bruised neck, a heavily bruised back and stomach, and a broken wrist."

Reborn practically growled over the phone. "How?"

"I wouldn't know," Shamal answered coldly, "But by the way the Skylark's hand itched towards his tonfas every five minutes, I'd guess he was bullied and it was not an accident."

"Hibari Kyoya?" Reborn questioned, "Possible Cloud Guardian?"

"Yes," Shamal took a breath. The next news he was going to deliver was probably going to send Reborn tearing out his hair, if he wasn't already. "There's more."

"What more could there possibly be?" Reborn snarled, "You've already ruined my espresso."

"This wasn't the first time."

"What?"

Shamal took out a file, one he had compile of Tsunayoshi's injuries he'd seen and memorized and of a log of previous nurse and hospital visits that he got from the school. He cleared his throat. "Over the past five years Sawada Tsunayoshi has been in two car accidents, has been admitted into the hospital fifteen times excluding the accidents, has sustained at least a hundred cut wounds caused by knives and other sharp objects, has been whipped, choked, and has broken bones multiple times in the arm, leg and chest area and is mute, most of the time."

Reborn was silent. The silence was stifling. Shamal was baking. "Reborn, something is wrong here."

"My information is wrong." He heard Reborn growl under his breath. Louder to him he said, "Look after him, make sure he does not sustain anymore major injuries, I should be in tonight."

"Yes, but Reborn," he paused, "I can feel that… the kid is more than he seems."

"What the hell do you mean by that? Talk Shamal, or I'll shoot you."

Shamal swallowed, knowing that the threat was not hollow. "I-I don't know. I can just feel like there's something different. I didn't feel it when the other twin was here earlier. It's just him, like he's hiding something."

"One bad thing after another." He heard Reborn grumble under his breath. "Watch him."

And then the conversation was over. Reborn hung up. Shamal slumped in his seat suddenly tired. He didn't know what it was but something about Sawada Tsunayoshi made him want to root for him as hard as he could.

And pray for him.

* * *

Tsunayoshi groaned in his mind as he awoke from his sleep, shifting of the very comfortable soft thing under him. His body hurt like a bitch. His head throbbed in time with the burning on every inch of his skin, especially concentrated on some parts of his body.

"Tsunayoshi."

His eyes fluttered at the familiar voice. "Kyoya." He said groggily when his eyes focused on the blurry form above him.

"Swallow. Drink." Kyoya ordered, holding out two white pills and a glass of water. Had it been anyone else Tsuna would have hesitated, but this was Kyoya, so he just popped the pills washing the down with the water. He then rolled over so he was facing away from Kyoya and snuggled into what he now identified as the couch in the disciplinary committee room.

"Time?" he asked.

"Three fiftee- Do not move Tsunayoshi." Kyoya said sharply as he saw Tsuna start to struggle up. "I have canceled your detention. You will rest here for another hour and wait for the morphine to kick in before you go anywhere."

Tsuna pouted, secretly very happy. Only him. It was only him that Hibari would break the rules for.

"Fine." He grumbled settling in for a nice nap. He hoped he wouldn't sleep to long. Cold dread tried to grab him by its icy tendrils but he shook it off, remembering that Kyoya was here. He was safe with Kyoya.

If only for a little while.

* * *

_Meanwhile_

Sawada Ieyetsu stood by his window, watching as the sun faded by the horizon changing the sky to a dark orange. He hated this time of day and much more preferred the dark night sky.

"Ieyetsu, you okay?" asked one of his "_friends_".

"Yeah," he shot the boy a smile. "Just wondering where my brother is."

The boy snorted. "Don't worry about that loser. He's probably lost or in a ditch or something. He'll crawl his way out eventually."

Ieyetsu faked a sigh. "Yeah I guess so. So, what are we playing now?"

"Tomb raiders," his friend grinned as he settled himself down on a cushion in front of his Tv.

Occasionally though, as he whooped his friends ass in Tomb raiders, he'd glance at the quickly darkening sky and smile. A dark, promising smile.

_When that Dame fucking brother of his got back he was going to wish he was never born._


	3. Chapter 2

Okay,um IMPORTANT things. I'll keep it short.

I've decided that I will continue with the other Angelo Cielo. It will be under the name "Words Unspoken" in about a week and updated with a new chapter.

Angelo Cielo will be updated every week while Words Unspoken will be every two weeks.

Also I've got another two stories coming at you called "Thick-skinned" and "Inventory of my heart" (I just couldn't help myself) In a week or two. This chapter gets a little heavy at the end but I hope you enjoy it.

And for some odd reason I seem to be unable to start a story without cussing first! Oh well!

And now you can go ahead and skip now I'm just replying to review. So go on, shoo!

WelcomeBack33-san: Why thank you, and right now I'm leaning towards 1827 but I might put up a vote and let the views decide. And thank you I will It might come in handy in the next chapter. Thanks for your help!

Sah-san: You know now that I look back on it, it was a bit sugary, Tsuna pretty much escaped harm the entire two chapters and only got what slapped in the face? Meh. And thank you for the compliment!

Moonangel103-san: Thank you for your input!

Otaku908-san- Grazie! XD

Bleach-ed-Na-tsu-san: I know don't you just hate that? Only two chapters of an awesome story? Sorry but, I like to mess with people! :D.

Mangopudding-san: Oh trust me honey, they're going to go through the _fucking _roof and Kyoya going to be there to laugh- oh wait he doesn't do laughing, _smirk _in their faces!

…..

Now on to the story!

* * *

Reborn couldn't fucking believe it. He really and honestly couldn't. In all his years he had never been so thoroughly outmatched by reality and misinformation.

It had to have been close to five when he got into Namimori, irritated and killing everything within a ten mile radius. As soon as he'd gotten off the plane- after shooting the co-pilot who had dared to say "have a good day" a rather nasty glare- he'd got down to business.

The first thing he'd done was collect the tapes and review them. And what did he see?

_Sawada Tsunayoshi escaping out of his window walking across a slick rooftop with ease and grace, before intentionally dropping off the roof, curling into a ball, and shooting up once again and down the street with speed he didn't know the brunette even __**possessed **__with Sawada Ieyetsu screaming his name, fury etched on all of his features._

He was absolutely sure that the brunette had a bruise on his neck from what he saw, and he'd sworn when he'd get to the Sawada Household he _would _find out who it belonged too.

That alone had set him back. He had brooded and basically killed every life form within a fifteen mile radius with his killing intent because of it. But then, _fucking Dino Cavallone _had to call and tell him he'd _lost _his fucking turtle and couldn't find him.

It was a god damn disaster waiting to fucking happen, and the worst part? Romario and his men, who he was utterly useless without- had then lost Dino who decided to look for the turtle on his own.

And that's not all. Gokudera Hayato (even after he'd basically snarled at him not to) had also _lost_ Tsunayoshi after lunch.

_Fucking fantastic._

_And Bianchi, fuck it, _had already been in japan and was one step ahead of him and could have been murdering the Sawadas right then.

From there his minds screamed _Fucking hell!_

He rushed to the goddamn Sawada house, having an associate already drop the flier in yesterday. And made his presence known.

He knocked on the door.

He noticed his nose detected no murderous purple fumes or even the scent of Bianchi and almost sighed in relief.

The door opened and he found himself staring into the eyes of a soft looking woman.

_Sawada Nana._

His mind supplied for him. She truly looked like the perfect house wife. She had silky brown hair cut to her ears and warm brown eyes. That told the stories of _more. _More of what. He couldn't say.

She had a motherly smile on her face.

"Ara? And who are you little guy?" she stooped to his level, and he noticed how she avoided talking down to him and instead held him at eye level. He smirked a little under his fedora. She knew how to work people.

"Ciaossu, I'm the home tutor Reborn."

He watched her carefully under his fedora, noting how she stiffened and then slacked, her smile coming with much more ease.

"Then come on in, Reborn-san." She said in a soft voice. He raised his eyebrow at the honorific. Usually you would not place a respectful honorific on a baby. He filed that back for later inspection, and entered the Sawada residence.

"Iey-Kun!" Nana yelled up the stairs, "Someone is here to see you!"

He heard a stomp and a faint grunt of "whatever'' and assumed the boy was coming down. He turned his attention to observing the house.

Normal. Mostly. He observed how there were scarce pictures of the older twin and none of Iemeitsu. The house was orderly, a little too much so.

His eyes scanned the floor and noticed a dark stain on the wood. He turned to Leon on his shoulder, just a slight incline, and the lizard flicked out is tongue confirming it.

That area was drenched in bleach.

It was a browning stain.

Blood.

He frowned, scanning more of the floor. There were many of those.

He heard the stomping of feet and refocused his eyes on the stair well, having a seat on a chair in the dining room. Nana bustled around making something, humming to herself. He paid her no mind, keeping only slight servalince on her, until she set down a mug of espresso in front of him.

His eyebrows rose in surprise. Espresso is not something you normally feed an infant. He turned his sharp eyes to her; she obviously knew more than she let on. But she only smiled lovingly at his gaze, a grateful glint entering her eyes.

"Thank you, Nana-san." He said slowly.

"You're welcome Reborn-san!" she chirped happily flittering off. "And please, call me 'mama'!"

Reborn hummed his okay, and watched as Sawada Ieyetsu came stomping down the stairs.

"What?!" he snarled at his mother, face pinched up in annoyance.

Reborn frowned immediately but only observed as Nan- Mama merely smiled at him and clapped her hands excitedly. "Iey-kun! That home tutor I told you about is here!"

"I told you," the child growled viciously, "I do _not _need a home tutor. If you want to get someone a home tutor get Dame-Tsuna one. Lord knows he needs it."

The boy was hostile, Reborn concluded. His muscles were stringed in anger ready to attack even his mother. Who expressed an air of practiced calmness that expertly hid her anxiety underneath. Her body was positioned strangely. As if she were ready to fight or flight at any moment with the child, tense. Suspicious. But more so, was how her expression practically froze at the mention of Tsunayoshi. Reborn concentrated on her aura. Nervousness, fear, anxiety, and... A small bit of anger had leaked out, unnoticed by the boy. Reborn was curious.

"Speaking of which," He piped up, in a purposely lightly and dismissive tone, "Where is Tsunayoshi?"

And suddenly, the atmosphere dropped. A cold settled over the room, like fog, and Mama stiffened, a strained smile squirming its way onto her face, her eyes flashed to him for a second, a calculating glint in them before she opened her mouth but, Ieyetsu cut her off.

"Dame-Tsuna is," he paused trailing off, before smiling in what he assumed was pleasantly. It looked more like the Devil's smile to Reborn. "Out."

Mama's smile began strained to the point where he was sure it hurt. "A-Anyway Iey-kun, Reborn-san says that he will make you the leader of the next Generation. Isn't that nice, ne?" her voice shook but the smile stayed frozen in place and never moved. Reborn studied her eyes, watching for the emotions that humans show through the orbs.

Fear.

_Terror._

_But not for herself._

"I told you," the blond snarled, "I don't need a fucking tutor! Besides it's obviously a scam. He's a fucking baby for fucks sakes."

Reborn's black eyes watched every unnoticeable flinch that Mama gave towards the curse words, and resolved himself to turt-tutor his student until he no longer cussed like a goddamn sailor in front of his mother. And then he noticed again. Her eyes flashed to him. It was more than just "He's seeing my dysfunctional family." Kind of stare. It was like she was _showing him _handing him over information on a silver platter. She was not as oblivious as he assumed. She knew things he didn't and she was determined to make sure that he did, very soon.

"A-Ah, its okay ne? I-If it's a scam Mama will just send him back. O-Okay Iey-kun?" she amended.

And again Reborn saw that fear. Like she was treading on water with the child, trying to avoid angering him. But goddamn it, again, _not for her._

"Mom!" the blond roared, Nana flinched. He was about to continue but then something happened.

The door opened.

Instantly the house went dead silent. Nana nervously fluttered into the hallway while Ieyetsu stood there, huffing, having only twitched at the sound.

* * *

Sawada Nana was a strong woman. She had tried to be ever since her Tsu-kun turned ten. She'd learned to observe people's emotions carefully, the way they moved, to see if it suggested professionalism in a martial art or skill set that could be potentianally dangerous to her children. She'd learned to word herself carefully as to not anger people and all the while keep an innocent visage. And most of all, she'd learned how to shot a gun, among other things.

She did not take the safety of her children lightly after all.

For this particular thing to works she had to let some of her emotions bleed through her barrier. She had to let the knowledge she knew about Reborn show so that she got his attention, so that his eyes would be on her. The fear, the anxiety, the anger, panic, and terror, she had to let it show in her eyes. She had to let that stutter she suppressed come out. She had to alert Reborn-san. So that he could fix, this terribly broken family of hers.

She had grabbed hold of this, this option, this _way out, _and she was _not _letting it go, even if it dragged her through the fires of hell, not if it could save her Tsu-kun.

She was not going to be helpless any longer. She was not going to watch as one soon brutally beat the other to death in her living room. Hell no.

She was going to do something. Something, anything before it went to far. But then again, she guessed,

It had gone too far long ago.

And the only thing she was trying to prevent was the never return.

_The Death of her Sawada Tsunayoshi._

_She'd be damned if she let it happen._

Nana went to the door, nervously gripping the handle. She took a breath and plastered on a smile. And she would never admit how relieved she felt when the door opened, and it was only their neighbor Sakura-san, and not her Tsu-kun, who would flash her a smile before limping inside to get beaten on the way to the stairs. She didn't think she could take hearing that much longer. The thuds, the crashes, the snarls, and the sound of chocked sobs that only happened after Ieyetsu was gone.

No, no she couldn't.

* * *

Reborn had come to the conclusion that before the end of his training, most likely, he would kill Sawada Ieyetsu. He'd never met a more _irritating, disgusting, __**dark, **_child in his entire life.

He'd had assumed that this job would be a walk in the park. Train some brats, teach, and humiliate the hell out of them, but it seemed he would have to drop that playful mindset. And switch to a more ruthless one.

He tossed all his plans into the garbage can and took a minute to reformulate all his plans and all the information he had. He needed a strategy.

So what did he know about the targets?

_Sawada Nana: Presumed harmless housewife. Has never raised her voice or showed any type of violent reactions. Presumed oblivious and easy to get by. Presumifications ratified._

_Prime manipulator. Able to twist emotions and people around her finger while retaining an innocent visage. Has the potential of an assassin. She cares only for her children and presumably her husband. Suspicions have not been confirmed. Will have to wait and see._

That was spot on, Reborn mussed. He hadn't seen her raise her hand in violence, but she was toned like a hitman and her actions were carefully controlled. She spoke cautiously as if not to leak information and knew too much. She had also made him interested in her in less than five minutes. And then she had brought attention to her family matters, something that Reborn needed to know.

Also, there were no pictures of her husband on the walls. She mostly had pictures of Ieyetsu but she was clever in the placing. She had the sparse pictures of Tsunayoshi in the places that would have the most attention while Ieyetsu's were in unimportant places.

Sawada Ieyetsu: Presumed golden child. Kind, selfless, and strong. Captain of the basketball team, friends will all in the school. Brother of Sawada Tsunayoshi. Presumed stronger than his twin and more outgoing.

Presumifications ratified.

Spiteful, hateful, impulsive and has fiery temper. Also manipulator. Has no friends only slaves. Manipulates all at school. Physically stronger than twin but mentally weaker. Hates twin. Abuses him.

That was all he had for now, after he'd carefully weeded out the useless information. He didn't know exactly where he'd gotten the manipulator part, but he put it down to a hitman's intuition.

_Sawada Tsunayoshi: Presumed weaker twin. Mute, no friends. Grades are a failure. Fails in sports. Has no special skill. Clumsy to a fault. Liability. However, kind, nice, selfless and oblivious._

_Presumificatioins ratified._

_High tolerance for pain. Graceful. Is kind and selfless, is not oblivious. Physical ability unknown. Skills unknown. Friends: Hibari Kyoya possible cloud guardian. Intelligence unknown. Abused. Mentally strong. All information hence forward will be current. All past information discarded._

Reborn had close to nothing on all of them but he could work with it. He'd learned a lot only from Tsunayoshi's morning display. He'd learned enough to completely reformulate all his plans.

He'd have to be vigilant. This new plan would require delicacy as well as ruthlessness. He hoped that maybe he could beat the insolence and violence out of Ieyetsu, turn him kind, and get him to apologize to Tsunayoshi, who he hoped he'd have talking by then. Of course there was a plan B for all of this. If Ieyetsu proved to be unfit for the position of Vongola Decimo he'd have to default to the twin.

For plan B to go smoothly if plan A fails Tsunayoshi and Ieyetsu have to improve at the same rate so that Ieyetsu is not stronger than Tsunayoshi and obliterates him. He'd have to train them both.

Reasonably Tsunayoshi is physically weaker, so he'd have to push his physical training harder than Ieyetsu while with Ieyetsu he'd have to push the mental training. He'd also have to assess a number of things. If Tsunayoshi was truly useless, what he could do, and if his Hyper Intuition had awoken yet.

But first…

"Baka-Ieyetsu," he called, "I have a question for you."

The teen rounded on him, "What?" he spat, "_Baby."_

Reborn twitched. In all his years he'd never heard the title sound so degrading, as if he were underneath the boy. He could feel rage bubbling but he forced it down, knowing it do no good, and forced his expression into a distinct curious one.

"If it came down to Mama or Tsunayoshi in a life or death situation who would you save?"

Without _hesitation_, Ieyetsu smirked, "That's easy," he said coolly, "_Neither."_

In that moment, for Reborn three things happened.

One, a deep festering dislike bordering on hatred for Sawada Ieyetsu was born.

Two, Plan A was tossed into the garbage can of his mind. There was no way it would work. And then it was replaced by a more ruthless, painful plan A that he was sure he was going to like very much.

Three, the door opened again, and a loud exclamation of "Tsu-kun, Okaeri!" sounded throughout the house.

* * *

Fuck Sawada Ieyetsu, Hibari Kyoya thought venomously. He glared down at the whimpering, shivering mass of his best friend, Sawada Tsunayoshi, unfortunately, the brother of his current Ire. His tonfas were already drawn, predictably, and the only thing stopping him from hunting down Sawada Ieyetsu like he was _prey, _was the cute, pained herbivore shivering on his couch.

Hibari sighed as all the anger _temporarily _drained from his system. He compressed his tonfas into the flat version and stowed them in his jacket. He hesitated only a moment, remembering the violent reaction that Tsunayoshi had to unknown touch before he threw caution to the wind and strode over to the couch, carefully making it dip with his weight. He sat near Tsunayoshi's head knowing body contact was not often approved in his sleep and he'd rather not pin the brunette and make him panic. So instead, he slid his long, calloused fingers through Tsunayoshi's fluffy silky hair.

At first the brunette flinched before mumbling something in his sleep and relaxing at the touch, the shivers and whimpers disappearing. Hibari frowned. Another nightmare. He trembled with anger, no fury.

How long? How long would he be _useless?_ It was killing him on the inside. To watch his bright, cheerful best friend reduced to this. Fearful. That wasn't the Sawada Tsunayoshi he knew. The Tsunayoshi he knew, scaled a roof top to save him from –regrettably- getting the shit beat out of him by some high schoolers when he was eight and had a cold, -Tsunayoshi had a much worse on than him, bordering on flu, but you could not _argue_ with the fluffy small brunette who pouted at you in disappointment- His Tsunayoshi, sat next to him under cherry blossom trees and hummed his new favorite song of the week, only breaking out in beautiful song when the Skylark was awake. And god, his Tsunayoshi smiled like the sun, no, brighter, he smiled like he understood everything about you. Your pain, your sorrow, your happiness, and your heartache. He smiled like he accepted it. He smiled like he loved you.

Oh, how Hibari missed that smile. The smile like the understanding sky. Now it was tinged with pain, fear, and confusion. Like he thought he knew everything but then found out he knew nothing and was struggling to get his bearings.

Hibari sighed, stopping his assault on Tsunayoshi's head. He got up and stretched when Tsunayoshi didn't stir from the lack of contact. Sighing he slide behind his desk, and laid back, temporarily ignoring the mounds of paperwork.

He wished, he truly did, to save Tsunayoshi from his suffering. He'd die for such a wish.

Sighing again he decided to do paperwork (Yes he had sunken _that _low) to keep his mind off. It wasn't very hard, except for the buzzing under his skin, something that hummed at him, excited, as if expecting that wish to come true real soon. Hibari smirked. He could help that along.

* * *

_It is believed that when the ever elusive cloud Guardian, truly wishes for the freedom of another they will stop at __**nothing **__to make it come true._

* * *

The second time Tsuna woke up, he heard the shuffling of papers and a loud heavy sigh. He snickered to himself. Obviously paperwork was getting the best of Kyoya.

"Shut up, Herbivore."

Tsuna snickered again, secretly. "Time, Kyoya?"

"Five thirty."

Suddenly all the happiness drained from his body as his throat clogged up. He was late. He was past his curfew. He was in _trouble. _He sat up suddenly, fighting off the way of dizziness as he struggled to stand. Hibari looked up startled by the sudden moment and inhaled a sharp angry breath, standing up.

"Tsunayoshi, if you do not sit down right now, I will bite you to death!" he growled, slinking closer. He forcibly grabbed Tsunayoshi's shoulders in an attempt to force him to rest, but Tsuna grabbed his arms and then Hibari noticed.

He shook.

His body trembled and his lips trembled, and his eyes shook, he took shaky breaths.

Kyoya hated it with everything in his body, in his _soul. _But he had to do it.

Slowly he eased forward and embraced Tsunayoshi in a hug. Wrapping his arms around the thin back. He's shaking as well, with the weight of what he had to do. What he had to do again. Every _damn _time. He had to let it happen. Because there was nothing he could do. He knew it was part of his own selfishness too. He couldn't do anything because doing anything would make Tsunayoshi hate him. And Kyoya was pretty sure that'd _kill him._

"Please," he whispered voice cracking, "Just come back."

Tsuna looked up and gave him a watery smile and tentively hugged him back. He said nothing, knowing he couldn't promise anything at all. He wasn't arrogant enough to think he could drag himself half-dead back to Kyoya. He had no such motivation. Kyoya was his best friend. He loved him. And for the most part, Kyoya was enough. But Kyoya could not always be there for him. He couldn't promise he would in the future.

And a future without Kyoya was just his regular plain-old hell without that bliss of a moment where numbness set in, for just a second, as he inhaled a breath to scream that Kyoya provided him.

"See you later, Kyoya." He said back stepping out of his embrace and gliding towards the door. He glanced once more at the still frozen Kyoya and smiled sadly at his downcast form, before walking out the door.

And Kyoya could do nothing but let him walk. Let him walk into that hell of a home, where Kyoya wasn't sure he'd come back.

_Again._

_Fuck his life._

* * *

Kyoya stood in frozen terror and sadness for several minutes, before releasing a shaky, heavy sigh. His body slacked and he fell back against the couch, leaning his right side against the arm of the couch. He placed his thumb and index finger on his forehead, wide apart supporting his head and restrained the terror in his heart. He locked it up.

"Hibird," he called faintly. He received weak tweeting in response. "Request: Shake me down."

Hibird tweeted his response. Opening his beak to belt out the notes.

_~Shake me down, Cage the Elephant~_

_"Shake me down,  
Not a lot of people left around,  
Who knows now,  
Softly laying on the ground, ooooh  
Not a lot people left around, ooooh. ooooh_

In my life, I have seen,  
People walk into the sea,  
Just to find memories,  
Plagued by constant misery,  
Their eyes cast down,  
Fixed upon the ground,  
Their eyes cast down

I'll keep my eyes fixed on the sun

Shake me down,  
Cut my hair on a silver cloud,  
Broken sound,  
Softly laying on the ground, ooooh  
Not a lot people left around, ooooh, ooooh

In my past, bittersweet,  
There's no love between the sheets,  
Taste the blood, broken dreams,  
Lonely times indeed,  
With eyes cast down,  
Fixed upon the ground,  
Eyes cast down

I'll keep my eyes fixed on the sun

Turn back now It's time for me to let go,  
Way down had to find a place to lay low,  
Lampshade turned around into a light post

Walk around the corner,  
Never saw it coming still,  
I try to make a move,  
It almost stopped me from belief,  
I don't wanna know the future,  
But I'm like rolling thunder,

Even on a cloudy day,  
Even on a cloudy day,  
Even on a cloudy day,  
Even on a cloudy day,  
Even on a cloudy day,  
Even on a cloudy day,  
Even on a cloudy day,

I'll keep my eyes fixed on the-  
I'll keep my eyes fixed on the-  
I'll keep my eyes fixed on the sun

Shake me down,  
Not a lot of people left around….."

* * *

Tsuna couldn't find it in himself to look back, he bolted, praying, _praying to Gods he didn't believe in, _that he'd make it back, if only for Kyoya. That he wouldn't die. His throat constricted and his wounds protested, making sure his body did not move the way he wanted it to, which ended up with him face down on the ground on many occasions. But he just got back up thanking the creators of morphine for such a wonderful gift. He'd feel it later yeah, but the point was he wasn't feeling it now, not as he glided through Namimori gates.

He panted as he came to the intersection, and stopped at the red light leaning up against the light post. Just a little rest.

And then he saw something. A little tortoise. Looking unconcerned as it made its steady way across the moving, booming traffic. It was taking it all at its own pace hobbling cutely across the street to him.

The turtle then looked up and made eye contact with him and stopped. In the middle of the street. And stared at him. As if it were looking into his very soul. Unnerving. But then Tsuna saw it.

A truck.

And he could imagine. The turtle's hard shell collapsing in on itself, pressing dangerously on the soft back that was undoubtedly there. And the wheel as it firmly pressed onto the turtle's back.

And then the blood.

And without thinking, without even _thinking._

He ran into the street, scooped up the turtle and dropped into a roll. He heard the truck honk and the swerving of the tires as well as others, but he didn't think about it just squeezed his eyes shut and curled a protective ball around the tortoise. He skidded across the walk way, ripping into his bandages, and dealing a heavy blow to his already injured head and ribs. Scraps made themselves known on his arms and legs and then finally he stopped rolling. It was silent for a second, as all the onlookers processed what had happened before the chaos began.

"Oh my God! Somebody call an ambulance!" one lady screamed.

"What happened?" the crowd murmured as it gathered around his mangled body.

"Don't know. The kid just jumped into the street."

He heard the truck door slam and the heavy footsteps of its owner and forced his eyes open struggling to gather his bearings. People were surrounding him, all with stunned, worried looks, some on cellphones, undoubtedly calling the police or an ambulance. The driver of the truck stood over him, screaming.

He caught a bit of it.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? RUNNING INTO THE STREET LIKE THAT? YOU TRYING TO GET YOURSELF FUCKING KILLED SHITHEAD? WELL, DON'T DO IT ON MY FUCKING TRUCK ASSHOLE, I JUST GOT THIS FUCKING PAINT JOB. FUCKING, SERIOUSLY. TEENAGERS. SHIT."

Nice, Tsuna thought in the dry sarcastic area of his mind. I almost die and he's worried about his red paint job.

Struggling, he made himself move, keeping one hand curled around the figure of the turtle. He managed to get on a knee, then two, and finally his feet. He swayed but steadied himself.

"Hey," someone called out to him. He looked and found the concerned face of an onlooker. "You should stay and wait for an ambulance."

Before he even knew it he was shaking his head.

No. _NO. _Ambulances meant hospitals and hospitals meant his father. And then… His brother.

_No._

Slowly, he backed himself to the only exit of the crowd a little gap in it, keeping a vigilant eye on _everyone _in the crowd. They were talking to him, trying to convince him to stay put and wait for the ambulance. But he just shook his head repeatedly, and as soon as he had the all clear he bolted, once again, to the street.

Police had just arrived on the scene, but he kept running and didn't stop. He didn't stop until he got to Namimori Park. Pretty much gasping for air, he collapsed on his knees on the grainy floor and set the tortoise down, who'd been calm in his arms.

"There," he mumbled to the small animal. "Be safe."

Then he stood and turned his back on the small animal, content to drag himself back home, where he was sure his mother would be cooking dinner, and his brother would be waiting for him…..

_Fuck his life. Really._

* * *

It took him a little over half an hour to drag himself back home, mostly because the morphine had left his system about half way there, and every step he took sent a nauseating spike of sharp pain through his body.

But, eventually, he made it to the front door of the Residence. He frowned at their neighbor, Sakura-san, who was loitering around their front yard; no doubt having just had a riveting conversation with his mother about next week's "Sewing class".

Soon enough she spotted him and smiled warmly at his broken figure, her gaze unquestioning, and unjudging as she beckoned him with one hand.

He shook his head softly, nodded to her in acknowledgement and went to the front door. There he knocked softly waiting. His keys had long since been "confiscated" by Ieyetsu who wanted Tsunayoshi at his mercy in every way.

The door opened and he found himself looking into the deep warm eyes of his mother. He smiled at her, giving her a hug which could only mean for him "Tadaima,"

She wrapped her arms around him a slight surprised tint in her voice, "Tsu-kun, Okaeri,"

He snuggled into her chest taking in this momentary solace. It was like being at the gates of hell, where they showed you your every happiness you ever had before ripping it away from you.

"Tsu-kun," she continued in a softer, whispered voice "We have a guest. His name is Reborn. He is talking to Ieyetsu in the living room and will be staying with us for a while, as you and your brother's Tutor."

Tsuna stiffened slightly at the information, imagining every way a _guest _in the house could go wrong.

They could see.

Or worse, they could _not _see. Ieyetsu could hold back and build and build and build until this guest's "for a while" stay ended. And Tsuna knew, that was a fate worse than death.

Still, he nodded if only to make his mother happy.

She unwrapped herself from him, and stepped out of the door way, closing the door behind him.

Immediately Tsunayoshi's senses buzzed, his intuition all but shrieking in happiness. His vision blurred and doubled, his ears chattered, and his nose picked up the strong scent of coffee. Still he persevered through the slight haze and went into the living room.

Immediately his eyes were on the small figure that sat relaxed and nonchalantly on one of the chairs, sipping a steaming, dark liquid that Tsuna guessed was the source of the smell.

It was an infant; he was sure, but _not _an infant. No, the small being buzzed with power and knowledge that he could never hope to acquire. He had on a dark black impeccable suit and small black loafers. Atop his head was a black fedora with a single strip of an orange band circling it. He had one leg across the other, and he emitted a dark, powerful, aura that was none to forgiving.

Tsuna held an instant respect for the baby, feeling that the baby was his elder in many more ways than one. He also held an instant fear of the child, somehow knowing in the days to come, Reborn would become his nightmare.

And worst of all, he was smirking. A very dark, dangerous curl at the lips aimed at his brother that promised death and tortur- Wait! His brother!

Immediately, Tsuna's eyes were on him, eyeing him like Ieyetsu was a dangerous unpredictable beast, which in a way Tsuna guessed he was. The apathy he had, had drained replaced with the utmost care by fear and adrenaline.

He found it odd how he had not noticed the form of his brother sooner, seeing as he usually trained his eyes on the most dangerous in the room. To his health.

His blond brother looked like him, something he was sure pissed the blond of immeasurably. His hair was gravity defying, and wild, but just a little bit limper than Tsuna's falling into his caramel eyes attractively. He was fair skinned, and muscled, taller than Tsuna, and more handsome, or so the girls said. But it was all kind of ruined by the _terrifying_ snarl on his face. Caramel eyes turned to him and darkened as he smiled in some sick delight at him, that had Tsuna shivering.

He didn't want to face that anymore, and despite knowing it would get him beat harder, he turned his back on Ieyetsu and focused on the baby.

The baby looked at him, raised his mug of dark liquid to his lips taking a leisurely, delight filled sip, before jerking it in his direction softy. "Sawada Tsunayoshi." It was more of a statement than a question but still Tsuna nodded his confirmation, nervously fidgeting with the hem of his dirty blood-stained shirt. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his mother flitter into the kitchen to begin dinner, and took quiet solace in the routine.

The baby put down the mug and turned his little body to face him. "Reborn," he said and once again Tsuna nodded is acknowledgements. And for the first time, as reborn was now frontally facing him, he noticed the little green chameleon on the small child's shoulders.

Curiosity briefly overpowered his fear, as he took a hesitant step towards the infant, giving a wide berth to the couch in which Ieyetsu splayed himself on, and slowly approached the child.

When he was close enough, he curiously held his finger out to the animal, tilting his head in wonderment. The green lizard eyed him before crawling from it's on the baby's shoulder and towards the brunette's finger, giving the stranger a hesitant lick.

Tsuna couldn't help it he cracked a smile. The happiness that surged through him, though, only lasted for an instant.

"Da~me~ Tsu~Na~" Ieyetsu sung, drawing the attention of the small brunette. Instantly Tsuna's shoulders bunched in distress and a small tremor rocked his body. Though he fought hard at the pure want to shake and cry. He wouldn't do that, not in front of the guest. He turned quickly, hoping to avoid angering Ieyetsu.

Ieyetsu himself had a disturbingly happy smile plastered on his face. "Where were you today?" he asked in a fake curious voice, "You broke curfew,"

Tsuna said nothing. Knowing, even as Ieyetsu looked like he was waiting for a reply he was not. No he was daring him to. Daring him to use his voice like Ieyetsu always did. Bait him. Bait him into a bigger beating.

"Eh~?" Ieyetsu sung happily, "Not talking today, _Tsuna_?"

Tsuna visibly shivered in fear that the way his name rolled off his brother's tongue, and waited in frozen terror as his brother lifted himself from the couch and made a step towards him, a wicked smile on his face. Oh no! He-he wouldn't do it here, would he? Mom was still in the kitchen and the hustle and bustle of pots hadn't started she could _hear _worse Reborn could _see._

Unconsciously he took a step back. He bumped into the leg of the chair Reborn was sitting on and careened back, landing sprawled inside the chair as the pain that disappeared through fear, racked his body. He withheld a groan, biting tightly on his bottom lip, eyes watered. Something landed in his hair.

"Tsuna," a new voice said, he recognized it through the haze of pain as Reborn. "Where did you get those injuries?"

The voice was heavied by concern and curiosity, but Tsuna just shook his head. He got them nowhere. That was his answer.

Reborn sighed and shifted on his head, and Tsuna was aware of the slightly comforting feeling of fingers running through his unruly hair. "Fine. I won't ask, but we will be cleaning those wounds now."

Tsuna had a brief moment of stupidity and wondered why. Didn't Shamal already do that? And then he chanced a look down and realized that the fall into the street had jerked and ripped most of bandages and gave him new bloodied cuts. Awesome.

But, he still didn't want Reborn to take care of them. He could do it himself. Ieyetsu was watching and he didn't like anyone expressing concern for "Dame-Tsuna" so he shook his head. The grip on his hair tightened, and the petting stopped.

Reborn's voice dropped into a low dark tone. "It was not a suggestion, Tsuna. We will be going upstairs to Ieyetsu's room and be cleaning those wounds. Do you want to worry Mama?" Tsuna felt his heart drop at the question. She'd seen him like this, hadn't she? "Besides I need to talk to _Baka-Ieyetsu_" Tsuna flinched at the way Reborn spat his brother's name, but nonetheless, nodded, feeling that refusal was just going to end up with him doing it in a more painful way.

"Good," said Reborn and the petting commenced again, "Now stand,"

Tsuna struggled to his feet, treating his body carefully, and squeezed his eyes shut at the wave of nausea that overcame him as he stood.

"Walk," Reborn commanded. Tsuna started towards the stairs.

He heard a click from his head. He knew that sound. It was the sound of a gun cocking. Alarm settling in him. Who had a gun?! He heard Reborn growl. "_Baka-Ieyetsu_," he started in a bloodcurdling tone, "_If you do not start walking this instant, I promise you'll be filled with holes."_

He heard his brother stifle a shriek before feet padded behind him. He tensed. Not liking that someone was walking behind him in an area he couldn't see. Even more so, it was _Ieyetsu _walking behind him in an area he couldn't see. But, he couldn't turn his head or Reborn would get suspicious. So instead he just quickly trekked up the stairs, carefully.

"Ieyetsu's room,"

Tsuna obliged, maneuvering towards Ieyetsu's room until he stood outside the door, but he didn't open it, knowing how much Ieyetsu loved his privacy.

He heard a scoff, and was shoved roughly out of the way.

BANG.

Tsuna instantly coiled into a spring, ready to shoot down the hallway and disappear, his eyes scanned for the shooter, his body positioned so he was just a little in front of Ieyetsu, one hand ready to pull Reborn down and shield him.

A bullet shell dropped beside him and Reborn's cool voice reverberated through the hallway.

"Don't shove my escort." He said. "Now open the door Baka-Ieyetsu, before I throw you through it."

Tsuna's eyes idly turned to Ieyetsu and he saw the smoking bullet hole in the wall that aligned with Ieyetsu's right eye. It had missed him by _this _much. And Tsuna felt a mixture of sadness and relief that he'd rather not touch on.

Ieyetsu shakily opened the door and stepped inside.

* * *

Reborn's first thought was that the room was relatively clean for a person of his personality.

Too clean.

The only things out of place were the game system controls that were strewn on the floor and a bag of chips that had spilled over next to them. Everything else basically sparkled.

Ieyetsu's room was simple, it had a kotatsu, a bed, a desk, and a bookcase shoved with videogames and manga. But everything was meticulous. The desk was clean and clear, a single notebook resting in the center of the desk, with pencils arranged by height next to it. The kotatsu looked like it was washed daily, the cushions arranged neatly on the floor. The bed was made, and the covers were ironed.

It was nice.

And it looked like someone else had done it. Reborn knew, by Ieyetsu's personality, he could not have cleaned this room, and Nana looked like the type of person who would require her sons to clean their own rooms. So it could have only been done two other ways. He'd paid someone. This was highly unlikely considering that Nana, while she got the occasional check for Iemeitsu still worked two jobs and had no money for a maid. The other option made Reborn feel the slightest bit sick.

Tsuna could have done it.

Fuck, this family was so fucked up.

* * *

Tsuna wasted no time settling himself across the room for Ieyetsu- who sat on the bed- on the floor. During that time he heard Reborn sigh angrily, as the infant hopped of his head and onto the kotatsu table.

"Ja, now that Mama is gone we can get started. Tsuna, go get the first aid kit." The infant started.

Tsuna wasted no time scrambling out of the room to the bathroom where he received the family first aid kit, before returning to his position in Ieyetsu's room.

The first thing Reborn did was grip Tsuna's arm with strength Tsuna was sure did not belong to a baby. He flexed the bandaged wrist, humming as he watched Tsuna flinch. He began to undress the wound and was half way through smearing on some kind of cream that Tsuna didn't know that they had-oh, but the coolness was heavenly! - On his wrist when he began to speak.

"My real occupation is not actually a tutor," he said. He let the sentence hang in the air a bit, shooting Ieyetsu a dark look when he snorted and mumbled "Knew that already." He finished wrapping Tsuna's wrists. And rubbed soothing ointments into his knew cuts and put on bandages for them. It took a while before he spoke again, he was unwrapping the ripped bandages around Tsuna's ribs as he did.

"I'm a hitman." He said offhandedly, prodding Tsuna's ribs to see how many were broken. He felt Tsuna tense and looked up at him.

* * *

Sawada Tsunayoshi, for a brief second, considered suicide to get his intuition to stop laughing and hooting at the sentence. His Cielo mind clicked and he connected the dots.

_Reborn, the world's best hitman. Advisor for the ninth boss of Vongola Timoteo and also under contract by him. His companion, Leon, is a shape-changing chameleon who aids him in many of his missions. He is known to be sadistic, using cruel and sometimes unusual ways to extract information from captured enemies and is not to be trifled with. He is the Sun Arcobaleno of the Trin-sette and a very dangerous man._

_Do not engage in combat or pursue. If you have seen him, he has seen you, do not attempt to run. May God help you._

Fuck his life. Again. He had a hitman for a tutor. He had a hitman for a tutor. He had a _hitman _for a _tutor._

* * *

Reborn shrugged, tenseness was expected when you tell a civilian you're a hitman.

He stopped his prodding of Tsunayoshi's ribs and reached for the roll of bandages on the kotatsu table that he'd jumped off of.

And then it happened. Ieyetsu exploded in rage.

"_Liar!"_ the blond roared, shooting up from the bed and advancing quickly on Reborn. Reborn tensed, Leon already in the middle of transforming as he readied himself to beat the shit out of Sawada Ieyetsu.

Only he didn't have to.

* * *

Tsuna didn't know what the fuck was wrong with him. He was doing so many impulsive _life-threatening _things today. Like jumping in front of his murderous brother and a fucking _hitman._

He didn't know why he did it. On one hand, he had a feeling that Ieyetsu's attack would not succeed even without him, not with the way Reborn had tensed like a snake ready to spring, eyes dark and narrowed. He had no doubt that the infant would have succeeded in shooting his brother.

Maybe that was why; maybe he did not want Reborn to kill his brother. And on the other hand, he did not want Ieyetsu to hurt a child-even if he technically wasn't a child- in any way shape or form.

Children were precious, small, and mostly unable to defend themselves. They were innocent, and they didn't deserve any of the abuse Ieyetsu would give them.

Okay, so Tsuna did know why he did it. And to be honest he didn't regret it, much. He was going to regret getting the crap beat out of him later, but he didn't regret protecting Reborn. He had a feeling no one had in a very long time.

So even as he watched as Ieyetsu's foot, snapped out harshly, eyes narrowing on his broken ribs which he were sure were going to be the target, he didn't regret it much.

So he squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the pain. And waited. And waited.

He didn't have to wait long though. Something latched onto the back of his shirt and yanked _hard_ sending him into the bookcase. He heard what sounded like metal collide with bone and a crack like lightening.

His eyes were still closed even when he heard a howl of agony and a loud thud, like a body. They were still closed when he heard small feet approaching him and they were still closed when those small feet hopped onto his thighs. Though, his eyes flew opened when a small hand reached around his head and grabbed a fist full of hair, jerking him forward till his head hit a hard surface. Tsuna's eyes lolled in pain as he opened them, finding himself staring into deep, furious eyes, a fedora crunched awkwardly between the two heads.

_"Idiot." _Reborn hissed. "Don't you _ever _do that again."

Tsuna nodded fearfully, afraid of the mere thought of rejecting such an _offer._

* * *

Reborn's frustration had reached new heights. Tsuna had protected him.

_Tsuna _had protected him.

_Tsuna who had three broken ribs, a broken wrist and multiple lacerations, that he was sure made it hard to move _had jumped in front of him and _protected _him.

In all his life, Reborn had never had someone be so careless with their life just to insure his wellbeing. He was sure that Tsuna knew he could handle it himself, but still the _idiot _had jumped to take the hit.

It made Reborn feel odd. Like regret, guilt, and happiness all mixed up in one churning mess.

Someone had tried to protect him. In all his years never….. Hell, sometimes he'd been used as a shield. Sometimes he'd been sent on missions he couldn't refuse just to kill him. He'd always survived somehow, on his own. But now. Someone was willing to lay down their body to protect him.

It was a strange circumstance. Even stranger, he _never _wanted Tsuna to do it again. As happy as it made him feel he was sure negative emotions would come if Tsuna got hurt protecting him. Even worse if the strange and quiet brunette _died _for him.

After he finished with Tsuna, he strode angrily over to Ieyetsu, who was withering quite pathetically on the ground –God, Tsuna had fell from a rooftop and broken his wrist and hadn't even _flinched_- grabbed his broken hand twisted it behind his back and stood on it. Menacingly he pushed his foot into the small of Ieyetsu's back twisting the hand closer to it as he leaned in to hiss in Ieyetsu ear.

"You ever attack me again and I'll make sure you don't have the _legs _to do it, understand?"

Ieyetsu whimpered, nodding frantically and Reborn took a moment to steady himself. He took a deep breath and reminded himself he could not just snap the brat's neck and be done with him.

"Good," he said neutrally as he hopped lightly off his student's back.

He walked back to Tsunayoshi and plopped himself in the brunette's lap. For one to keep him from doing any more unnecessary dangerous action and for two he just wanted the brunette close.

He was sure that Ieyetsu's foot to Tsuna's ribcage would have collapsed it in on itself, tearing a whole in either his heart or kidney. It would have killed him. And after that realization he felt just the tiniest bit skittish and wanted to make sure the brunette stayed out of harm's way.

Reborn sat for a moment, trying to regain his thoughts, before he felt hesitant, thin arms curl around his waist. They stilled for a bit waiting for his decision. He leaned against them, deciding just this one time it was okay.

Unknowingly, he'd gotten attached the strong-weak contradiction of a brunette.

"Now," Reborn started again, calmness easing into his voice, "As I was saying, I am the world's greatest hitman and I was sent here to train the both of you for the position of the tenth mafia boss of Vongola the strongest mafia Family,"

Ieyetsu, still huddled and quite afraid, in the crock of his bed and the wall, snarled at Reborn holding his hand, "What?"

Reborn took out the colorful family tree that he had made while on the plane when he was still in a happy mood for this occasion and mentally regretted adding the color pink to it.

"As you can see, you are the I-don't-care-how-many-times-over-great grandsons of the first Vongola boss, Primo."

* * *

Tsuna absentmindedly fiddled with Reborn's belt as he listened to the conversation trying to rack his memory back six years to when he first hacked the Vongola base. He thought back to what he'd seen.

_Vongola Family heirs, Federico, Xanxus, Enrico, and Massimo_

And then the thought back to recently.

He remembered that all of them had died one way or another. He was kind of instantly dismissive about the subject, Tsuna was weak, he could not be boss. There you have it, Ieyetsu had the title. He wasn't even going to try. I mean, he was already a hacker; he couldn't have that much on his plate. Also, he'd hacked Vongola many times and he didn't think they'd appreciate that. Lastly, he hated fighting. Despised it with a passion.

He zoned back in, his attention focused on Reborn. He shifted a little, trying to get comfortable with Reborn on his lap and ignored the burn of his injuries. He didn't know why he'd hugged Reborn, he just felt like the infant needed comfort, like Tsuna had scared him despite what that angry look said, and needed to remind Reborn he was okay. Reborn kind of reminded him of Kyoya. Concern disguised as anger. And physical contact used as a weight. Tsuna's lips jerked into a little smile. How nice.

"And Federico the favorite was found as nothing but a pile of ash." Reborn concluded. "Which makes you two the only blood related heirs left."

Wait, what about Xanxus? Tsuna frowned. Was he okay? Tsuna cursed himself for not listening. Over the years Cielo and Xanxus had created a sort of friendship. Kind of a You-see-me-and-you-don't-kill-me kinda thing. So Tsuna naturally was worried about him.

"So," Tsuna flinched at the voice of his brother "I will inherit the throne of a rich and powerful mafia family?" Tsuna could hear the greed leaking from his brother's voice.

"Both of you will." Reborn said firmly, "Unless you have a problem with sharing." Reborn sneered.

"As a matter of fact I do," Ieyetsu sneered back, fear all but drained out of him at the news he was a fucking _mafia _boss, "Dame-Tsuna is too weak."

Again a completely true statement, even though it hurt a little.

"I will decide that," Reborn said tightly, "I will be tutoring you both and after a year I will decide who has the most potential."

Ieyetsu snorted. "Just pick now, it is obvious I have more _potential _than _Dame-Tsuna._"

"Actually," Reborn said casual, "As I have observed, Tsuna seems to have more potential."

_"What?"_ Ieyetsu spat. Tsuna flinched and started to shake at the sheer venom in Ieyetsu's voice. In seconds Ieyetsu's eyes were on him, pure loathing and malice swimming in the dark caramel orbs.

Reborn shrugged, "Just what I've seen. But, hey if you want I can choose right now."

Tsuna felt a hand patting his wrist, comforting him.

"No," Ieyetsu snarled, "I want to win. You, wait."

Reborn shrugged again before looking up at sooner. And Tsuna saw Reborn's eyes soften just a little. Or maybe that was just a trick of the light.

"Tsuna, you can go now, I have to talk with Ieyetsu about his _training _I'll talk to you about yours tomorrow." Reborn said.

Tsuna nodded, carefully getting up and placing Reborn on the ground watching his brother. He didn't seem as lethal and hostile to Reborn now, so Tsuna guessed it was okay. So he backed up to the door, watching Ieyetsu, before he turned his back and started down the hallway only to freeze.

A scream reverberated throughout the air.

It sounded like Ieyetsu.

Tsuna hovered nervously in the hallway. On one hand, he wanted to make sure Ieyetsu was okay. He was the older brother after all; he should look out for Ieyetsu when he could.

On the other hand, he felt that Ieyetsu deserved it, to scream like Tsuna wished he could.

"Walk, Tsuna." He heard Reborn from Ieyetsu's room, "If I come into your room and your homework isn't done it'll be hell to pay."

Tsuna shivered at the threat, deciding that Ieyetsu could handle Reborn on his own (he would rather not take the beating as well, thank you very much) and walked to the door of his room and entered. He locked the door and maneuvered himself around the carefully constructed messiness to his desk.

He had a hacker deadline coming up so he should probably work on that. And then he needed to email Kyoya and tell him that he was alright and then he needed to research the supposed _"Vongola blood" _that was running through his and Ieyetsu's veins. He had no doubt that it was his no-good father's fault.

He got to his desk and opened the last, right drawer and pushed it. The bottom of the drawer slide up to reveal a safe with a handmade key pad. It was really just a computer keyboard rigged to the safe. Tsuna smiled as he remembered the first time he'd gotten into electronics. Or really Cielo.

Speaking of which, Tsuna calmed his mind and allowed himself to be overcome with the persona that was Cielo.

Ah, now where was he?

Ah, yes, the first time he'd gotten into electronics was the first time he'd gotten into pyrotechnics. Cielo smirked. It was a hacker job, kinda. More like a personal favor from a friend of sorts. That friend wanted a missile that could recognize and hone in on his target and Cielo just happened to like to blow shit up. It was a match made in heaven.

He'd spent hours tinkering and reading and blowing shit up at the hill across town (which he had to profusely apologize for to Kyoya-chan, who just happened not to like craters in his nice Namimori grass. Who would have known?). By the end of the week he knew how to take apart his laptop and put it back together. After that he decided, why not _modify _it so it was better? Somehow out of shit he got in garbage cans, he managed to rig it so it had a finger pad log. And then he'd also rigged it with some gunpowder and C4 so that anyone who wasn't him would have an exploding laptop on his hands. _And then_ he rigged up and explosion proof camera, that automatically came back to him after five minutes, so he could watch the fucker blow up.

Sadly no one had exploded yet, but it was only a matter of time. Cielo understood he wasn't perfect and was bound to make mistakes, and one of those mistakes would end up with some shit coming into his room and stealing his laptop to snag any info on it. And when it happens the fucker was in for one hell of a surprise.

Cielo snorted pressing in the password for the safe.

_Ieyetsu is a Dumbass._

Works like a charm.

He took out the laptop and pressed his fingers into the login. And instantly he was in. First thing he did was set up a chat and send Kyoya a message.

_I'm fine, Kyoya-chan! Some weird asshole stopped me from getting the shit beat out of me! Hurray for me! :D_

He smirked at the message. Knowing that his other half would not like it. Oh well, Tsuna wouldn't tell Kyoya about the weird shit that happened in his house, so it was Cielo's manly duty to do it!

He snorted at himself and frowned when no sound came out. Right, mute. Forgot for a sec.

He rolled his eyes at his uncooperating body and got back to hacking.

Seriously, did Tsuna not know how hard it was for a _mute _hacker to gain respect in the underworld? Honestly it's like the boy didn't even consider him at times! Oh whatever.

First thing first, hack Vongola. No wait Varia. He liked to fuck with them bastards. They always knew when he hacked them and yet they could never stop him.

Cielo cackled in his mind as he set about hacking the Varia database. He noticed they'd changed it, but up stronger firewalls and all, but it was still a piece of strawberry shortcake for him.

_Mmm, Now I want cake._ He thought.

Just as he made it through the last firewall his screen blinked and his chat with Kyoya popped up.

_Irritating split Omnivore, how is Tsunayoshi? –Kyoya_

Cielo smirked and rolled his eyes. He'd never quite gotten over that title, "Split Omnivore" he guessed he should be awed that the great Kyoya considered him an Omnivore. But damn, it wasn't like Tsuna had a split personality! Well, not really! Agh! Whatever.

_He's just peachy. Almost got hit by a car but peachy. The weird asshole made sure dumbass didn't even touch Angel face. ~Cielo-kun!_

Okay maybe he did have a split personality. Because if he didn't it's just weird that he called himself Angel face. But hey it was their code words so he could live with it.

Another response popped up.

_Explain. –Kyoya_

Again Cielo rolled his eyes. Leave it to Kyoya for a one word response.

_Now, now Kyoya-chan~! I can't tell you everything! Ask Angel face tomorrow! Ah, but I will tell you this. By not even touching I mean that weird asshole literally broke dumbass's hand for trying. ~Cielo-kun!_

When not even a minute later he got a response, he smirked.

_Hn. –Kyoya_

He could tell Kyoya was immensely happy with that.

_Anyway Kyoya-chan gotta go! People to see, lives to ruin! ~Cielo-kun!_

Without waiting for a response he closed the chat and went back to hacking the Varia. He frowned. He had to find out if Xanxus was alive or not. And if he was why he wasn't heir. He didn't know what was worse- scratch that he did know what was worse; Ieyetsu becoming Decimo of Vongola would lead not only Vongola but everything around it into destruction while with Xanxus you'd only get another generation of bloodshed.

It was safe to say he was rooting for Xanxus.

As he was rooting his way around some personal looking files, a warning sign flashed on his screen letting him know he was being hacked. Cielo allowed it knowing it was only the mink coming to say hello.

A minute later a chat popped up on his screen.

_Ushishishishishi, you're back Cielo-kun? I thought you'd stopped hacking the Varia? *Prince_

Cielo rolled his eyes and typed his response.

_I had but some personal matters came up. Needed some info only you had. –Cielo_

He was a lot less jovial with the mink; after all he had information to find and information to protect. It was best not to get careless.

_Ushishishishi, really? *Prince_

Cielo ignored that reply preferring to ask him a question.

_How's the bastard? –Cielo_

The response was immediate.

_Why? *Prince_

The Ushishi's were gone. Cielo rolled his eyes, the Varia always got a little touchy when it came to their boss.

_Because some bastard told me he'd up and died, now answer the question. –Cielo_

The Ushishi's were back.

_Ushishishishi Boss is fine.-_

Cielo didn't even read the rest of the reply immediately he was hacking the Varia base trying to get at the reason Xanxus wasn't heir.

The mink lagged for a minute obviously surprise at the sudden conversation end but soon enough he was setting up firewalls to block Cielo, who smoothly deactivated each and every one.

He scanned through the personal file a page at a time, while downloading it onto his flash drive and fighting the mink. He was going to get this information.

Finally he found something labeled "Cradle incident" he read through it his fingers never stopping as he blocked mink and when he finished he frowned. His intuition was telling him that that wasn't it, so he dug deeper.

He didn't notice how the mink had started to put up more flimsy firewalls than strong ones.

And finally he found it.

His jaw dropped.

_Xanxus wasn't the ninth's kid?_

His fingers froze for a sec and the mink dove for the opportunity. In minutes a chat popped up.

He looked down at the message and froze even more.

_I'm gonna fucking grill you, trash. -X_

Cielo cursed in his mind as he hastily logged out of the Varia but he knew it was too late.

He'd been tracked. He was lucky that he had internet barriers on his exact location. He sighed silently as he shut his laptop. He'd guess it'd take Varia no less than a week to find him with the location they'd got.

Namimori, japan.

Maybe more if Cielo could hack into all airline flights and cancel them.

Yeah he had a week and a half tops. Fuck. He screwed up. Cielo sighed mutely as he placed his laptop back into the desk compartment, not bothering with his other hacker job. Who gave a fuck? He needed a day off.

He collapsed onto his bed and bled away leaving Tsuna to deal with this mess.

Tsuna curled under sheets and sighed mutely. He messed up. Just great. On top of Reborn, he now had more Mafioso after him. Awesome. Ugh, he didn't have the energy to deal with this.

Instead, he passed out happily.

* * *

Reborn, once again, threw all his plans out the metaphorical window. Plan A was not going to work, seeing as Tsuna still loved Ieyetsu and plan B needed to be more detailed.

Reborn forced plan B to the forefront making it plan A. First things first, he needed a tutor for Tsuna. He was absolutely sure that tutoring the both at the same or different times would end up with Ieyetsu hurting Tsuna out of jealousy and spite and while he had not cared about that an hour ago, he cared now.

Tsunayoshi had somehow managed to worm his way into Reborn's heart to the point where Reborn wasn't sure if he'd be able to hold back if someone hurt the brunette. So Plan B needed serious revision.

He mentally went through his contact list to find a strong, wiling and gentle teacher for Tsunayoshi, someone who was calm and wouldn't rush but at the same time would push the boy beyond his limits.

Immediately he came up with Fon. A smirk curled at his lips, making Ieyetsu across the room shiver. Yes, Fon and his little trainee were supposed to be touring japan right? Wonderful, mentally he reminded himself to give Fon a call in the morning and call in that favor.

Next Guardians. Reborn guessed that Tsuna and Ieyetsu would have to fight over his currently chosen guardians because frankly, nobody else struck Reborn's fancy. He went over them in his head.

_Gokudera Hayato, Storm Guardian_

He nodded absentmindedly. Gokudera had the potential to become stronger than he already was his only problem was that he didn't value his own life.

_Bovino Lambo, Lightening Guardian_

The idiot Cow was only ten but in the times Reborn had met him (Irritating, Irritating times) besides all the fluff and stupidity the cow and shown an affinity for lightening. Plus he had the ten year bazooka and by his family's standards was an insufferable genius at times.

_Yamamoto Takeshi, Rain Guardian_

From what Reborn had seen spying on Yamamoto in his back yard, the teen was a natural born hitman. End of story. The only problem he had was the happy façade he put on. The rain guardian had to be real or he could not wash away the Family's problems.

_Sasagawa Ryohei, Sun Guardian_

A hyperactive idiot by definition but strong. He was a boxer and his naivety and loudness would relax his family, while his body would destroy all enemies to the family. His only problem was that he smothered his sister Kyoko and had to learn to give the people he loved space.

_Hibari Kyoya Cloud Guardian_

A Carnivore, as he so puts it. Strong and undefeatable. But aloof and unapproachable. Also loyal to a fault. He would protect the family from an offish standpoint offering support while not being a part of the group in his mind.

And then the mist he hadn't quite figured out, but his hit man's intuition told him that that'd work itself out.

The odds were mostly even for both sides. Ieyetsu was a manipulator so he could sway others but Reborn was sure that he could put Tsunayoshi in a position that he would naturally charm the others with his true face.

Really it all came out to what was stronger, Fantasy or Reality.

Reborn had his money on reality.

* * *

Sawada Nana and Sawada Tsunayoshi had a few secrets and deals worked out between them.

One, Nana would never ask where he got his wounds from. She'd never attempt to help him unless they were fatal and she'd never tell. It was a deal that she literally fought tooth and nail to revoke but she could never get past Tsuna's iron eyes of orange.

Two, Nana never went into his room without his permission and she never questioned the state of it. She didn't know why it was like that but she trusted Tsunayoshi.

Three, Tsuna would never question what she did. He'd never question the "Sewing classes" which he knew were actually martial arts training. He'd never question why they had such a wide away of daggers and knives in the kitchen. And he'd never question why she slept with a gun under her pillow.

Four, he'd never question her act. Her oblivious house wife one. He knew she was much smarter than she appeared. Much smarter and much more dangerous and never questioned why she never showed it.

Five, she'd never question his array of weapons in his room.

It was just easier that way.

And as Sawada Nana snuck into Tsunayoshi's room carrying their back up first aid kit, she knew she'd broken one of the rules. And she tried hard not the think about where he'd gotten the body scan laser from or why he needed it she just stood still as it passed over her body deeming her safe. She edged into the fray dodging every scattered thing he had and towards Tsuna's bed and gently sat down on it. She tapped his arm and waited. Deciding that his injuries had knocked him into an unconscious state she started to wrap his wounds.

It was half an hour before she was done and sneaked quickly out of Tsuna's room and down to the kitchen. There she met Reborn. She froze for a second, wide eyed, and with a scandalized look Reborn sat at the kitchen isle sipping on coffee and he raised an eyebrow at the offending object in her hands.

The first aid kit.

Nana looked back at Ieyetsu's room before turning to Reborn who nodded.

Yes, Ieyetsu was a sleep.

"He won't let me treat his wounds!" Nana wailed as she sailed into the chair next to Reborn, the first aid kit skidding across the isle as she pressed her forehead onto the cool marble. Nana started to babble. "I know he doesn't want me too. Worry I mean. And he doesn't like anyone in his room but I just couldn't help it! It looked like it hurt _so _much! You understand what I mean, right Reborn-san?" She turned her head to the infant who only nodded to her in understanding before continuing to drink his dark liquid. She sighed and stood, busying herself with cleaning up after dinner. The room was enveloped in a quiet silence only broken by the happy humming she'd accustomed herself to doing.

It was a while before anyone spoke and it was Reborn who broke the silence.

"Maman," he started, the hitman hesitated slightly, making Nana curious "Why is Tsuna so quiet?"

Instantly Nana tensed and dropped the dish she was washing. Her teeth clenched at just remembering the incident. She held herself there. Ieyetsu was asleep. Tsuna was asleep. Iemeitsu was away. And Reborn was safe. She could talk about it. For the first time in years she could allow herself to talk about it.

"Ieyetsu stole it from him," Nana whispered, "His voice."

"What happened?" Reborn asked.

Nana sighed and turned to face him, her hands crossing around her abdomen in a self-hug as she gazed unseeingly.

"Tsuna was only in grade five when it happened. Back then he was a happy child, a little quiet and reserved but not like now. No, back then he just truly enjoyed silence, unless it was filled with music. Did you know he taught himself how to play the piano? He was only eight when he did he told me all about it, but it was much too late for me to realize. He told me when he was ten and played his first song for me when he was eleven. He'd gone mute the year before and I'd been so sad that he'd played _Beethoven_ for me. He wasn't just musically inclined either but he sung. God, that boy sang like an Angel…" Nana trailed off and realized she'd gotten off topic. But Reborn didn't seem to mind, he was absorbing all the information eagerly.

Nana licked her lips. "When he was ten his school had a music talent show, they'd told him about it months before but it was only a week before when he told me. I begged, and begged and begged him to sign up because I'd heard him singing on the roof one day and I thought it was heavenly. And you know Tsuna could never say no to me, so he auditioned. When he got back home from school that day he was crying and I thought he hadn't made it but he waved a paper in my face so eagerly crying out "I did it! I did it! Mom, I got in!" That was the happiest day I ever had. I baked him a cake and showered him with love. And that's where I think the problem began."

Suddenly she looked down at Reborn, who had set down his mug and was letting it cool without his knowledge. Her voice was cold as she seared him with her eyes. "Ieyetsu is a very jealous child, Reborn-san. _Very _jealous, but that day I just didn't see it."

She went back to staring at nothing. "For a whole week Tsuna practiced and practiced filling the whole house with the sound of his voice. I didn't notice it back then but every day he came home with slightly uglier bruises, but I chalked it up to bullies. And finally it was the day of the talent show. I gussied up and got them all gussied up and made sure Tsuna looked like he'd walked out of heaven before we left. When we got there Tsuna eagerly went inside and just before he went back stage Ieyetsu offered him a water bottle smiling all sweetly. I thought he wanted to support his brother. _God, _Reborn-san I was so wrong. Backstage there was a problem."

Tears sprang in her eyes.

"A-Acid, Reborn-san," she choked, "Ieyetsu had spiked Tsuna's water with _acid."_

Little tears slide down her face and she tried desperately to control herself.

"Luckily Tsuna didn't trust his brother as far as he could fucking throw him," Nana snarled, "He only took a tiny sip, a little one. It hurt like hell and people panicked but Tsuna didn't let that stop him. He drank some real water and when his turn came he stepped on stage. I swear Reborn-san his eyes were glowing orange with determination. And he sang. "Hey there Delilah" An English song. His voice was hoarse but it sounded just as heavenly as ever."

She looked down crossing her feet at the ankles as one of her hands snaked up to hold her neck. "He didn't win first prize," she said, "But I was so proud of him. I didn't know who did it. I didn't know until a week later when we got back home and some of the water in the bottle accidently sloshed on the counter top and _melted _through it. So I didn't know that leaving them outside to get my purse was the worst idea I could ever have. I went back in, three minutes tops Reborn-san. _Three minutes. _When I came back, Ieyetsu was rocking on his heels by the sidewalk outside the gates, a big _shit eating grin_ on his face. And-" she choked and the tears poured down her face,

"And T-Tsuna was just lying in the street. Motionless. He was pale as death except for the splash of red that covered his body. H-his own blood. Next to him a heavy-set man was dialing one, one, nine. And the worst part was that it was his god damn _birthday _Reborn-san. I screamed, I ran to him, I held his bleeding body in my arms and I _begged _him not to leave me. When the paramedics came I almost fought them too, but they allowed me to ride with him and I never let go of his hand. He spent three months in the hospital, Reborn-san. The car at _crushed _every rib in his body, punctured his liver and his heart, broken his right arm and left leg, gave him a serious concussion and put him in a coma. And as I was sitting by the hospital bed holding his hand and crying it all just _snapped into place._"

She turned blazing eyes to him, eyes that told of a mother scorned. _"Ieyetsu had done this to my baby." _She spat, "_It was Ieyetsu's fault."_

She closed her eyes trying to gain control. "He woke up a month after the accident and when I finally got him home two months later, he still wasn't able to move for another two months. And Iemeitsu was there. And he was watching. He was watching Tsuna like a predator after prey. He never offered a hand to help, just laid there on the floor like a drunken fool," she hissed, "and watched my baby struggle. "

She closed her eyes again and opened them the blaze died down. "He didn't speak after that. I asked him questioned. I asked what Ieyetsu had done, had said to him, but he never said. Just looked at me with pained eyes and shook his head. To this day I don't know what Ieyetsu said to him but it was something awful. Ieyetsu had managed to convince him it was _his fault _t-that _he was the problem_."

She hissed under her breath, "I've never wanted to hit a child more than that moment."

It was silent for a minute as Reborn absorbed it all. "Reborn-san," Nana whispered her eyes locking with his. She could see rage burning beneath those apathetic black irises, "I have two requests for you."

"I will do anything," Reborn responded instantly and Nana could see the sincerity in those words.

"Help me get my baby's voice back," she begged, "I want to hear him sing! I want to hear him laugh and giggle and talk and cry! I want to hear every word he has to offer."

Determination shone in black eyes. "I will make it happen." Reborn said firmly. The woman was like the ninth, he could not refuse anything she had to say. Had she asked him to murder the rest of the city he would have done it in heartbeat. "What else?"

Suddenly her eyes hardened. "Give them hell."

She didn't have to specify who, Reborn knew.

He tilted his Fedora to hide his eyes as a wicked, blood lusting smirk curled his lips.

"I plan too."


	4. Chapter 3

Sup my lovelies! It's two in the morning, I'm cranky and I'm only doing this to myself because of you! So be happy! The translations will be somewhere in the middle I don't know I need some god damn sleep!

So I warn, you, fanfiction and my internet decided to fuck with me at the same time messing up all my spelling corrections. And unless you want me to go through the fucking roof, you will deal with it, just for this chapter, kay? cause I fucking give up! This is the fifth fucking time it's fucked with me and I've fucking had it!

As much as it pains me to do so, I'll respond to a couple reviews to.

Kiyomi di Vongola-san: Fucking thank you. Because of you that itty bitty piece of the plot I couldn't nab I got! And I know! Ain't she just fuckin' awesome? Go nana! And I revel nothing but let's just say Xan-chan is a giant teddy on the inside.

Gabrielatsuki-san: Thank you very much! This is the first time I've written so much for one story.

Bleach-ed-Na-tsu: You will never know how happy I am to be able to reduce you to that mind blown state that I often have! Thank you so much!

Iluvfairytale-san: Don't make up your mind so quick! It's only going to get better!

TheGillipepper-san: Aw! Now you're making me blush! Thank you!

Twilightserius-san: You know when I read your review I had my mind blown. it was like "oh my fucking god. I forgot that Yamamoto has is own mask _and _is a natural born htiman. fuck" And thank you very much, XD nana's my favorite so far.

-san: You know from time to time *flip hair obnoxiously* no like seriously, thank you! And yeppa he's ten. And again, thank you!

ShadouRyu-kun: Um, okay not to be mean. But abusive people tend to be over the top. That's what always made me a little bit ichy about twin!skies fics, they never quite captured the fear you feel when a person raises their hand agaisnt you. expect for Blackbird that was the bomb! Anys, thank you for your review~!

Rensvey-san: I love how serious you sound about it.

Shironi27-san: Grazie and yo know I honestly hadn't thought about it until your review. Since I didn't mean to completely seperate them (my hands just kind of didn't obey me when I was writing that scene) but thanks to you I know have it figured out! Stick around to see how! And duh! I LOVE 1827! It's just so cute! And yes, yes it is. Fuck is like the fucking god of fucking swears. But yeah, I'll try to change it up! Thank you for your review!

ShinigamiinPeru-san: Why thank you that's what I was going for! I've never compeltely made a jackass character but I think I did well with this. And yes, yes he does the bastard. And yeah, for some fucking reason I can't spell jack shit right! Ugh, I hate it. Spelling and grammer kill me! Anyway thanks for your review!

Chibi-Onee-Chan-San: You my friend, give me great plot ideas. Keep them coming! And thank you I will!

Otaku908-san: As a writer I am so happy right now I can't even cuss. I've always tried to get people to feel what I write through the scene and emotions. So thank you for that! And yes, yes I must! Thank you!

Fanficlover-san: I don't know Clannad made me collapse in tears for three days straight but thank you anyway! And the next chapter will be FILLED with Reborn tortur-I mean tutoring.

Guest-san: I can't give away to much of the plot but it will pretty much follow the manga story line so enimies at first besties in the end! And yes, this story will be YAOILISHOUS.

SnowyLife-san: Again, so happy you are making me cry! Oh and don't worry Reborn's got some interesting tortur-tutoring methods to try out on Ieyets. And God I wish I could but like after a really long chapter it takes like three days to recover my inspiration after being drained. So I need like three days of nothingness sometimes.

MajesticNinjaRen-san: You know you remind me of someone. Hmmm, who uses dynamite? Hmm, Goku-Gokud-Gokudera! And *Stands over the pit of fire* BURN IN HELL BITCH. Ahem, anyway thank you very much!

CrisscrossAnime-san: Thank you, a hitman's always got to have a back up plan. And nah, she's to cautious. Nana's a very smart woman, she know the mafia can snuff her out like candle light if she ever did something to their precious "heir" and without her Tsuna would be all alone. And as much as she likes to fantisize about killing Ieyetsu she can't, she wouldn't (she would Iemetsu though, she doesn't love him) And I will be fucking damned if it ends like that. I would hate MYSELF. nah man, revenge will be long and drawn out and painful!

Kanojo wa Rinko-san: Okay again, not to be mean but again, Abusive people tend to be a little to much. Hell Ieyetsu hasn't even beaten him yet! THAT will be to much for the faint-hearted. And thank you, I just can't spell for some goddamn reason!

Now, on to the god damn story!

* * *

Reborn licked his lips free of delicious espresso as he shut his phone and relaxed in the recliner of the living room of the Sawada Family. He was very glad that he'd set it straight with Gokudera and gotten Fon on the phone all in the same not-yet-morning. Reborn glanced at the quickly lightening sky and judged it must have been about five AM. Nice. He'd updated Gokudera, keeping his information to a minimum, just telling the storm guardian that Sawada Tsunayoshi was also now a candidate and that Gokudera was not to interfere with his life unless Tsuna was in grave danger. So, Reborn had lied to Gokudera and Tsuna. Who gave a shit? True, the only one who was really up for grabs for this heir crap was Ieyetsu but if Reborn had his way (and he _always _did) he would easily make Tsuna the main contestant.

From what he'd seen the brunette had a way about him, had something in him that made you want to follow and be loyal to him. That made you want to befriend him and never betray him. Though, the people around him couldn't see it. Reborn guessed it was only strong people that got that wave of feelings from him. Love, comfort, loyalty, and happiness rolled off the brunette when he looked at you. It made you feel safe and needed. The people who got hurt frequently, who knew the darker side of life, who needed _help_, felt Tsuna's overbearing aura of safeness and power. With that rolled up he could easily see Tsuna as a contestant. Especially with Fon was his teacher.

He smiled as he remembered the chat he had with Fon calling in his favor from the storm Arcobaleno and was delighted to know that Fon was in Japan and had no problem teaching one of Reborn's students. He'd said he'd need information as to _why Reborn needed_ _him _but that it could wait till he got there in a couple of days. Reborn was sure Fon would be at the Sawada Residence tomorrow with is disciple. And had promised Fon (After asking Maman of course) that he and his disciple could room in the Sawada house that had a ridiculous amount of rooms that he was sure would be filled very soon.

Yes, Reborn was feeling very accomplished.

The living room light flicked on and Sawada Nana's surprise face looked at him. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy from last night's cry but other than that she looked a lot more relaxed.

She smiled at him as she made her way to the kitchen. "Ara, Reborn-san? You're up so early!"

Reborn lifted his mug to his lips, hiding a gentle smile. "I could say the same to you." He said.

Nana blushed as she opened the fridge. "I have work at eight, so I like to get an early head start on breakfast, lunch, and dinner." She said arily.

Reborn eyed her curiously from the living room. "How are you Maman?" he asked cautiously.

He saw the woman stiffen a little before she sent him a tired smile. "Honestly Reborn-san," Nana started in a slightly deeper voice than her usual light chipper tone, "I feel better than I have in year. The strains melting. It's not gone yet, but it's getting there. Thank you for asking."

Reborn merely nodded raising his mug to hide yet another smile. That was the nice thing about Sawada Nana and Sawada Tsunayoshi, their presence made you want to smile, flat out grin really. When they were happy, you were happy.

Reborn hummed and then the phone rang. Nana flittered over to the phone and answered with her usual chipper voice. The person on the phone said something that made her smile fall off her face. Reborn had the urge to strangle that person. "Y-you're coming home?" her shaky voice asked.

There was a slight pause and then she laughed tightly. "Ahaha, yes how could I have forgotten? Iey-kun's birthday is in two weeks." She said tightly, and Reborn noticed the fury burning in her eyes, and behind that was fear.

"When will you be home?" she asked trying to lighten her tone.

"The twelfth? Okay," she paused and laughed again tighter and strained, "O-of course I'm happy you're coming home! You just caught me by surprise, I don't know what to do with myself!"

She nodded and hummed in agreement to the person on the phone. "Okay. Okay. Okay. Alright, bye Anata! I love you too."

Reborn could see her mood becoming darker and darker as she set down the phone. He'd gotten the gist of it but he prayed it wasn't true. His happy mood and her happy mood had vanished. And then Nana connected eyes with him.

"Iemetsu is coming here."

And Reborn knew he'd have to speed up his plans.

* * *

It was only after Reborn, and her children had left for school had Sawada Nana let her emotions show on her face and in her actions.

Sawada Nana was in a particularly bad mood.

Her face was dark, her muscles were tensed and even throwing the assassin that had managed to worm his way into her kitchen against the wall with unnesicary force had not alleviated her irritation.

She grumbled slightly as she grabbed a particularly sharp chef's knife and momentarily mourned it's loss (Because she was not going to make Tsu-kun's and Reborn-san's dinner with a knife stained with assassin blood. He might be diseased. Ieyetsu, yes. But Tsu-kun and Reborn-san? No.) before she stabbed it in the place that would bleed the least, his forehead.

She had long gotten over the fact that yes, her husband was a jackass, and no, he was not going to put up guards to make sure she stayed safe. The first time an assassin had come for her and her children she'd gotten lucky. The day before her own intuition, while nothing like Tsuna's (She knew how that boy could be. Hours before assassin attacks he'd send her worried, fearful confused glances. Like he sensed something dangerous but he didn't know what. And then he'd look somewhere and in the next couple of hours and assassin would be creeping in, in that spot) it was still strong as an ox, had told her to get protection. She'd gone out and bought a glock G38 and hide it under her pillow from her children. The next night an assassin was sneaking in through her window. He'd gotten what was coming to him.

And while a Glock was a man's gun and had a lot of recoil she could handle it in a way that almost made it look elegant. Despite that, she'd moved on to knives one day when she'd discovered her infatuation with the beautiful weapons. Knives and swords acted as extensions of one's self. One's own body. And she found a certain grace in them and their gentle curves.

Ah, she got off topic, where was she? Oh yes, her dog shit of a husband was coming home. She knew all he would do was torture her Tsu-kun and fawn over Ieyetsu(the demon spawn her mind hissed, bus she forced it down, knowing how her love for Ieyetsu was dwindling by the second).

Nana sighed as she looked at the bloodied mess on her kitchen floor and decided to clean up before Reborn-san popped back in to check on her as he often did now a days. He'd only been there for a day but he made it his business to know she was safe and she wouldn't admit it (Even knowing the baby had an adult form and was not actually a baby) but she found him quite charming. A man had never treated her like that, like she was protected, not just physically but emotionally. Except for well, Yamamoto Tsuyoshi who she had named her Tsu-kun after. Both of them made her feel like they would go to the ends of the earth for her. Reborn-san was quite the emotion reader and in the night and morning he'd been there he'd asked her many questions about her wellbeing, until he was satisfied that the break she had shown last night was all but sewn up. Tsuyoshi had done the same when she stopped by his sushi bar, his eyes would scan over her form, he'd look deep into her eyes, guide her to a seat in the back and ask her,

"Are you okay?"

And each and every time she'd cry, and spill everything to him. It was the main reason that after Tsuna's accident and after the discovery of her husband's job she stopped going to TakeSushi.

She didn't want the nice man who could read her like an open book drug into her problems. Not this time.

Though with Reborn-san it was different. His protection felt more like the bear hug of an older brother something she, as an only child, desperately needed.

While Tsuyoshi's felt like the gentle embrace of a lover, and despite hating her husband with every fiber of her being, she was still a married woman and wouldn't let herself fall that far into his comforting embrace.

Nana busied herself from her thoughts by grabbing the dead assassin by his black suit and lugging him to the backyard where she started a nice bonfire in the privacy of her shed.

Once the assassin was nothing but ash, Nana stretched and decided to get dressed for her second job as a hotel manager. She worked part-time and it paid good but the people there were insufferable. Her employees (And excuse her language) were a bunch of whiny little bitches who complained every time they had to get off their asses and actually _do _something and often shoved the work on her. The clients were disrespectful and acted like a bunch of rowdy teenagers and tried to intimidate her into better prices. And her boss, the bastard, was an avid molester who just couldn't seem to find it within himself to keep his hands off her ass.

But, it was for her Tsu-kun. She found that her resolve was a lot stronger than how violated she felt. She had no doubt in her mind that if it came down to it, and she lost her jobs, she would willingly become a prostitute to support her Tsu-kun. It was just the way it was.

Tsuna was a beautiful child. Inside and out. She knew her boy was more than he seemed. And she knew he was capable of giving those bullies what for _many_ times over but he never did. He never raised a hand in violence unless it was absolutely necessary. No matter what people did to him he just never thought that violence should be his first resort. Even when he got angry he never hit.

And Tsuna cared so much. She could not tell you how many times Tsuna had given his umbrella to a stray dog in a box on a rainy day. Or how many times he'd come running to her panicked, with a banged up animal cradled ever so carefully in his arms, begging her with his eyes for her to fix it. She could not tell you how many times he'd willingly decided to get _beat _for breaking his _curfew_ just so he could help a lost child. That boy was golden, inside and out and she loved him for it.

She could not tell you how brave her boy was. He'd do things, good things, knowing he'd pay in the end, and never bat an eyelash. She could not tell you how proud she was when that desk he bought was delivered to her front door, showing Ieyetsu that Tsuna _was not afraid _that he would not be under Ieyetsu's thumb and that he would always belong to only himself. With only a desk and glowing orange eyes, he portrayed just how little control Ieyetsu really had over him.

That was her boy, brave, strong, bold, and yet gentle, kind and loving. That was what he was.

But soon, something was going to come, she was sure, that would try to rip all the gentle loving out of her boy. But as his mother, she could confidently say,

It would never happen.

* * *

Sawada Tsunayoshi had a very tough decision on his hands, although he knew in his heart the decision had already been made when he first laid his brown eyes on the crying form of the dark haired boy.

The morning had started out decently with Reborn waking him up with a startling gentleness and softly berating the boy for not finishing his homework. Then Reborn had left his room telling him in a low voice that it was already seven o'clock and unless he wanted to miss breakfast he should get his butt in gear. Tsuna still didn't quite know how Reborn had bypassed his scanner but just hoped and prayed that the hitman wouldn't talk about it.

Ten minutes later he was dressed, his hacker job finished in a rush but elegantly and flawlessly and he was ready to go to school. He'd slipped down the stairs to the dining room table, devoured his food like a starving beast and watching the clock with a predatory glare, knowing he had to walk the forty minutes to school so he should hurry, least Kyoya become upset. His mind was still buzzing with Cielo's mistake as he made plans to work his way around the Varia, as he stepped out the door, after a rather tight squeeze from his mother and a light goodbye from Reborn.

Not twenty minutes later, he'd found himself running from his bullies who happened to know his long route to school and had just lost them in a dark alley way when _that _appeared.

Tsuna sighed silently as he bend down to the level of the dirty, curled up child as the child tried to wipe his tears. For a moment Tsuna simply observed the boy's form. The boy was obviously thin, and Tsuna guessed his age was eight before quickly recalculating with the malnurishment in mind. Ten, the boy was probably ten. He had hair as black as night that curled slightly at his ears and pale skin, Tsuna couldn't see his face, since they were buried in his hands but Tsuna guessed the boy was quite cute.

Then, Tsuna reached a hand forward, retracted it noticing it was his broken wrist one, and reached his other forward and gave the boy a soft tap on the shoulder. The boy lashed out violently, shooting out a fist in shock. Tsuna caught it gently and did nothing but hold it as he waited for the boy to look at him through his shimmering eyes.

When the boy looked up Tsuna took in his face. It was still rounded with baby fat but the beginning of sharp curves were beginning to show, his eyes were wide, showing clear electric green irises, that were hindered only slightly by his curly black hair. He had something like a star under his left eye and his skin was slightly tan. He had Italian features and Tsuna was right the boy had a cute child like innocence in his look.

With his face not buried in his chest, Tsuna could see the black shirt the boy wore and the silk cow-print collar as well as black slacks.

When electric green made contact with melting brown, the boy shrieked and started to cry harder muttering in Italian. Tsuna caught some of it.

"_Mi hanno trovato! Mi hanno trovato! Hanno intenzione di trascinarmi indietro! Non sarò mai scappare! Torno-!"_

Tsuna racked his brain for anything he could do to comfort the boy who wouldn't look at him while mentally keeping track of the time.

There was no other choice.

Tsuna inhaled two breaths. One to see if he could do it and the other to force himself to do it.

"U-um_, I-Io non t-ti f-f-f-farò del m-male. Io v-voglio aiutarvi. Q-quindi, si p-prega di sm-m-mettere di p-piangere."_

The boy froze for a second and scared electric greens looked up at him Tsuna smiled nervously trying to comfort the boy. Slowly the boy's crying supsided into sobs, and then into slight hiccups and finally nothing.

Tsuna licked his lips.

"_Buono._ _P-puoi dirmii-il tuo n-nome?"_ Tsuna asked.

The boy looked away muttering a low, "Lambo,"

Tsuna merely nodded not questioning at all the lack of a last name, assuming the child either didn't know it or didn't want to tell it. Either way was fine with him.

_"Il mio nome èTsuna."_

"_Cosa c'è di sbagliato, Lambo?"_

Lambo sniffled. _"Ci sono uomini cattivi dopo di me. Ho paura."_

Tsuna nodded affectionatly, trying to stamp a clamp on the rage that fired up inside him at the mere _prospect, the idea_ of hurting a child. For Lambo's sake he wouldn't show he was angry.

Tsuna smiled serenly at Lambo grasping a dirty hand. "_Non ti preoccupare, Lambo. Che ne dici di venire con me? Ho un amico che ti può aiutare." _Tsuna soothed.

Lambo was hesitant to agree, he could see. He'd been told to never trust strangers but the brunette gave off an aura of pure peace and protection and he could not help but fall into that.

"_Davvero?" _he asked cautiously.

Tsuna just smiled through the mistrust in the child's eyes and assured him. "_Sì, lui non è molto bello. Ma se si seguono le regole che non sarà molto significa. E lui è un eroe. Farà che gli uomini cattivi stare lontano, va bene?"_

Lambo, though ten years old and knowing there should be no such things, couldn't help but brighten at the idea of a hero. He decided to trust the brunette who made him feel loved.

"_Va bene."_

Tsuna stood and held out a hand to Lambo who clutched it like it was a life line and did not let go even after he'd hauled himself up. Tsuna didn't mind and tightened his grip on the child so he had a strong but comfortable grip and started to walk to his school.

The bullies he believed had long since given up on beating him into a bloodied mangled pulp today. The morphine was streaming through his veins and he didn't feel a thing after the long run to the child. Not even in his ribs. His back was straight and he felt good.

Maybe it would be a good day.

* * *

Translations

"_Mi hanno trovato! Mi hanno trovato! Hanno intenzione di trascinarmi indietro! Non sarò mai scappare!: They found me! They found me! They're going to drag me back! I'll never get away!_

___I-Io non t-ti f-f-f-farò del m-male. Io v-voglio aiutarvi. Q-quindi, si p-prega di sm-m-mettere di p-piangere: I will not hurt you. I want to help you. Please stop crying._

___"__Buono._ _P-puoi dirmii-il tuo n-nome: Good. Can you tell me your name?_

_"Il mio nome èTsuna.": My name is Tsuna._

"_Cosa c'è di sbagliato, Lambo?": What's wrong Lambo?_

Lambo sniffled. _"Ci sono uomini cattivi dopo di me. Ho paura." :There are bad men after me. I'm scared._

_"__Non ti preoccupare, Lambo. Che ne dici di venire con me? Ho un amico che ti può aiutare.: Don't worry Lambo. Why don't you come with me? I have a friend who can help you._

___Davvero: really?_

___"__Sì, lui non è molto bello. Ma se si seguono le regole che non sarà molto significa. E lui è un eroe. Farà che gli uomini cattivi stare lontano, va bene?: yes, he's not very nice. He's a hero. And if you follow the rules he won't be mean. And he can make the bad men go away. Okay?_

_____Va bene: Okay._

* * *

As soon as he arrived at school, late predictably by twenty minutes, a tonfa lodged itself in the gate wall, erilly close to his left eye. He shrieked silently sending an abmonishing look to Kyoya.

_Kyoya!_

Kyoya just growled and yanked his tonfa out and Tsuna checked Lambo to see the small child predictably hiding behind him.

Tsuna sent him a look. And Kyoya flinched and backed down. That was Tsuna's "Mom"  
look. He'd tried to go against it only once. And for two weeks the herbivore had ignored him and sent him disapproving looks when Kyoya caught his eye. For Kyoya it was down right frustrating and saddening. Still he growled. "Sawada Tsunayoshi if you do not answer all my questions in a timely matter _I will_ confiscate your computer!"

Tsuna's face quickly morphed into a horrified look. Kyoya? Take his baby?!

Frantically he nodded, before gesturing to the child and then to Namimori. Kyoya's office window specifically.

Kyoya growled typically and stalked away, no doubt to his office. Tsuna hurried after him, the child's hand clutched in his. And he smiled when he noticed Kyoya was not going as fast as he could have and had slowed his gait to a stride that the child could match.

Kyoya always had that kind of hidden kindness about him. It made Tsuna smile.

Once they arrived at the Reception Room, Tsuna ushered the child to the couch, where he sat next to him and wrapped an arm around the child's back. Lambo squirmed into his arms and leaned his head on Tsuna's soft chest, that had just the outline of muscle and sighed in contentment.

Tsuna turned to Kyoya.

"Kyoya," he pointed to the demon prefect, catching the child's eye before turning to Kyoya and pointing to Lambo. "Lambo."

_"Lui è l'eroe." _Tsuna said to Lambo. Lambo sat abruptly straight and marveled at the prefect, fear all but gone. Kyoya did really look like a hero. With his jacket open and hanging from his shoulders billowing as the window wind blew in gently. His long, strong legs were covered in black slacks as he crossed them and leaned his body on his sturdy desk. Arms crossed over his chest, and you could see an outline of his muscles as silver glinted from his clean tonfas.

Well, in a way, Tsuna guessed Kyoya was his hero. He smiled at that.

"How, why, and what do you want me to do about it?" Kyoya asked cooly.

"Found in alley. Lambo running from bad men. Make them go away." Tsuna said. His sentances were broken, as the pressure of ears in the school made him limit his vocabulary. One person. All it would take was one person to send Ieyestu after him. And if Ieyetsu heard him talk, he'd kill him.

Kyoya simply nodded sharply, pushing off from his desk to grap the laptop from it and he handed it to Tsuna.

Tsuna looked at the door and then back at Kyoya. Kyoya nodded at him and strode over to lock the door and pull the shades. He also checked to make sure Tetsuya was standing guard and then he closed and locked the windows, pulling down the blinds. He turned back to Tsuna and nodded again.

All clear.

immediately, Tsuna closed his eyes, fingers scanning lightly over the laptop as he slipped into his Cielo mind. A toshiba Tercera. Model R940. Hmm that'd do just fine. A piece of cake.

Mmm, now he wanted cake again.

His eyes flew open and he cracked his knuckles.

"Alrighty!" he said reveling in the fact Tsuna felt comfortable enough to talk in Kyoya's company.

He lifted the laptop top and didn't even bother asking Kyoya for the password. He hacked it and began hacking the Namimori security camera's to search for Lambo's "bad men".

Soon enough he found them, did facial recognition on them from the video, and froze.

Mafia. _Fucking Mafia. _Again. What was with the mafia coming to Japan anyway? Was it his fault? Or better yet was it Reborn's fault?

Cielo sighed and turned toward the cow child. "Lambo what's you last name?"

The child blinked for a minute and Cielo cursed the fact he forgot that Lambo was italian. He was about to repeat the question in italian when the boy's hesitant voice rang in the air.

"L-Lambo's last name is Bovino."

Cielo clicked his tounge. The Bovino's were a lower, less powerful, inventor mafia familiga. And suddenly he knew who the bad men were and why they were chasing him.

Sitting next to him was Lambo Bovino, genius inventor of the Bovino familigia.

Mentally, though, he shrugged. Well, whatever, he already had the Varia riding on his ass, what's another mafia family? Plus, Tsuna wanted this and Cielo would give Tsuna whatever he wanted.

He continued to hack and sent the facial recognition and profiles to Namomori police, knowing that Kyoya-chan had instilled the fear of _God _into the poor bastards. In the next half an hour those men would be arrested. Because yes, Namimori police feared Kyoya's impatience that much.

And then he decided to get a head start on the Varia problem. They probably already had his face. Considering the mink never half-assed anything and had probably hacked his web cam as well as his location and snapped a pic.

He heard Kyoya-chan sigh. "Irritating Split-omnivore, you are not doing anything Illegal." It sounded like a demand but it was really a question. In response Cielo sent Kyoya a teasing grin.

"Of course not Kyo-chan~!"

He then hacked into every Japan plane station, he locked on every plane heading from Italy to Japan and instantly cancelled or delayed every flight.

That done, he shut the laptop and handed it back to Kyoya.

"There," he said to the child slowly melting away and being replaced by Tsuna as he stretched, "You're safe now."

Tsuna smiled at the little boy as Lambo tackled him in a grateful death hug, trying to squeeze the life out of him as he choked out thank you's in Italian. Tsuna petted his head and smiled at the cow child.

"You live where?" he asked curiously.

Lambo just shook his head. And instantly Tsuna understood. Lambo was running away from his family. He had no home.

A plan was forming in his mind though. His mother wouldn't mind and he could protect Lambo from his brother. But in the meantime, he turned to Kyoya.

"He stay here till school end?"

Kyoya growled but still gave a stiff nod. And Tsuna smiled at him, thanking him with his eyes.

He patted Lambo on the back and told him, "I'll be back. Hero-san watch you."

Lambo nodded, still teary, and released his death grip.

Tsuna readjusted his messenger bag strap and hopped up shifting from foot to foot comtempltedly. Nah, he was not going to run to class, he decided. Nezu-sensei's boring math could wait. He started a slow stroll to Nezu's class and mulled over all the information he didn't have time to process last night.

One, he had the Varia, as Cielo said, riding on his ass. He'd cancelled and delayed all flights to Namimori, or really Japan in general. But he as sure it wouldn't take more than two days for the Varia to not only come up with a strategic plan but get their private jet ready to fly to Japan. That left him five days, assuming that Xanxus had actually went to sleep the night he had found out Tsuna hacked them and had not stayed up all night planning. Considering that the Varia loathed waking up early they'd leave some time around noon. And even in their private jet they'd have to obey flying rules. So it would take them at least twelve hours to get to Japan. That meant they'd arrive at midnight of the fourth day. Yes, that sounded about right, they had his picture, he looked like a student (he _was _a student) so they wouldn't search for him at night.

He'd make sure that they'd have to search every highschool and middle school personally, by jamming their internet signal. All in all Namimori had about twenty school (all of which Kyoya reigned over with an iron fist) it would take them at least two days to find him with his generic last name, even after eliminated the schools that were all girl schools (which were about five of them). But on the seventh day, he was sure they'd arrive at Namimori middle.

So he had to plan for that arrival. He thought hard but once again reached a mind block by his intuition. This time he tried to push through it knowing that his mother could possibly be in danger.

His intuition snickered. _It's fine, It's fine. She's a strong woman, stronger than you know. The Varia defy all expectations it will end better for you if you just wing it._

Tsuna sighed mutely in exasperation, knowing he couldn't fight his own intuition. Fine, fine, next issue then.

Lambo. His house had six rooms besides the already inhabited ones. He guessed Reborn would be taking up one room so that would be five. Then Lambo could take the large room next to his. They could even turn it into a play room. He had no doubt that his mother would take the cow child in without batting an eyelash. He didn't think Reborn would care much unless he had some bad blood between Lambo but Tsuna didn't worry much. He could be very... _persuasive _when he wanted to be. He'd have to buy security supplies to set up in Lambo's room so that he would know who went into the child's room just in case it was his brother.

Tsuna felt a pang in his heart. Tsuna knew that Ieyetsu wouldn't even blink. He would hit a child. He would _beat _a child. Tsuna would have to direct the attention off of Lambo but all in all the issue was pretty much solved.

Reborn, then. He didn't know what was worse, that he was almost sure Reborn knew, or that he was almost sure Ieyesu knew Reborn knew. Regardless he'd have to be careful around the mini hitman. He would make his night escapedes more difficult but it was nothing he couldn't handle. He just hoped he didn't slip. Besides that he had a deep wonderment about his "training". He was sure men like Reborn didn't take no for an answer so he would have to train. He guessed that would be okay, he'd get stronger. And then maybe, he could actually use those useless arms of his to protect someone. The problem lie in Cielo.

Cielo made a habit of defying him which in itself is strange considering Cielo is Tsuna and Tsuna is Cielo. He'd come out when Tsuna was in intense, mindblowing pain and tap dance away all Tsuna's problems till the next day when it'd get worse. The only person he didn't come out in front of was Ieyetsu and Tsuna pondered that maybe it was because Cielo knew that whatever he did in Ieyetsu presence would upset him so much that he killed Tsuna and he just honestly didn't want that to happen. But with other people, it would take all that was in Tsuna to force Cielo down before he could come ripping up his chest like a snarl. And he really, really, didn't want Reborn to know about Cielo.

Suddenly, Tsuna regretted leaving a computerized script of his handwriting written "Cielo" as a calling card. Tsuna had hacked the Vongola many times. For information, out of pure boredem, and to find out things about potential clients( and he wouldn't admit that sometimes he did it for shits and giggles but he did.). Tsuna had to admit he didn't _like _the Mafia and he liked the Vongola even less knowing his ratshit of a Dad was in it, but the Vongola was good. They were centuries old and drenched in blood but they made it a habit to be fair and not dabble to much in illegal activity. They didn't sell drugs, they didn't hurt children, and they weren't ruthless literally cutthroat people. And he liked the current Vongola head the most. Nono.

Tsuna could remember way back in his memory when he was six or seven when the old man had come to visit him. He had enthralled Tsuna with his kind grandfather like exposition that leaked kindness and power all at the same time. But still, he didn't think that Nono would appreciate his Grandson hacking into his main computer to post rainbows and gay pride links all over it when he was eleven, bored, and angry at the discrimination. So yeah, he'd rather not let Reborn find out about Cielo.

Tsuna sighed as he came to the door of his math class and drew in a breath as he opened the door.

BANG.

A shot hit the door frame and Tsuna instinctively ducked and rolled into the classroom, jumped to his feet and scanned the area for danger. What he saw almost, _almost, _made him curse.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, you are late to class." Reborn said, dressed in a puke green suit without his Fedora. His curly sideburns bounced as he turned his head to Tsuna and absentminedly reloaded his gun with chalk. "Next time, don't be. Or else. Now take your seat."

Tsuna shot the now bane of his existence an exasperated look before trudging to his seat, he sat down heavily, ignoring Gokudera-san burning a trail over his body from behind him and his classmates incredulous stares.

"As I was saying," Reborn continued, "My name is Reboyama. You are to address me as Reboyama-sensei or **_else._**"

The class shuddered at his dark tone before he picked back up in a light one. "I am the substitute teacher in your class. Nezu-sensei unfortunately has had a little _accident."_

"I hope we all get along, for your sakes."

* * *

Gokudera Hayato could see the extent of his mistake marring Sawada Tsunayosi's body. The boy's lip was split and colored purple, his eyes had the faintest hints of black under a dusty white skin tone that he was sure could not belong to the boy and was indeed, makeup. He walked awkwardly, heavily preferring one side of his body without even his knowledge. His wrist was bandaged tightly and instead he was using his less dominant hand to right meaning it was broken and he had scraps and cuts decorating his arms from what Gokudera could see from his sleeves. but Sawada also seemed to be heavily under the influence of medication. His eyes were just the slightest bit hazy with it, but he walked steadily enough and seemed completely conscious and okay.

Still, Gokudera berated himself in his head a sick feeling settling at the bottom of his stomach.

Self-disappointment.

Self-hatred.

How could he let this happen? Quickly before he fell to deep into his feelings and like, cried or something he changed those emotions into rage.

Stupid Sawada! Who gave _quel bastardo_ permission to be out of his sight?!

Gokudera growled low to himself, and kept his eyes firmly on Sawada, and they only flickered once and a while to the other Sawada.

The blond absentmindedly twirled a pencil, seemingly in deep thought, before a dark delighted expression crossed his face and he smiled. Gokudera shivered. Something was wrong with that boy. Something terribly wrong.

He shook his head. The Decimo Candidate was important, yes. He wanted to make sure the family that had supported and loved him through his childhood, the Vongola, had a great and powerful leader. One kind and sturdy like Nono, selfless, and one that could bring out the best in people.

He looked back at Sawada the brunette and decided if it really came down to it the brunette might be a better choice. regardless Reborn's orders were to carefully observe both of them, when they were together, when they were apart and how other people responded to them. He told Gokudera specifically to watch facial expressions and their eyes, seeing as that was how he knew how Tsuna "talked" to people. So Gokudera would watch. Very carefully.

Contrary to belief, he really wasn't that hot headed. He was a genius and he was mafia. Charging into battle would get your ass handed to you and end up with you "swimming with the fishes". And God, did Gokudera know it. He just tried hard, very hard, to hard, to deceive his opponent. He'd been caught off guard only once in his life, and it had destroyed him. He would never let it happen again. So he had created this image for him. "Smoking bomb Hayato, hot headed pyromaniac". Once apon a time it had actually made him laugh.

Now it only made him feel more cornered and trapped than he was before. Now all he could do was hiss like a cornered animal, bearing his claws just for the heck of it.

Gokudera sighed, taking his eyes off Tsuna for just a moment to stare listlessly at the window. It was that day again. October 1st. And for the first time, Gokudera resolved himself not to go visit that grave. She'd understand if he played some music for her. Yes, that sounded nice. He'd go to the music room after school, he decided, to play the beautiful dead woman a melody.

She would understand.

He was sure.

* * *

Tsuna almost breathed a sight of relief when the bell rang and math class finally ended. Reborn, surprisingly, was a very good math teacher. He actually understood most of it, and he was almost sure he'd have no trouble with the excessive amount of homework Reborn assigned, which again surprised him.

When was the last time he's scored over thirty on _anything?_ As he pondered this he slowly packed hs stuff taking a different tactic then yesterday (yesterday's tactic was run like the devil's licking at your heels and apparently it was not as fool proof as he originally expected). This one was wait out. Unlike his bullies he had no lunch, he didn't need to eat. They however had to report the the lunch room to either eat or not to be bitten to death by Kyoya. (Sometimes he blessed the day when Kyoya discovered his love of tonfas and hitting people with them).

He glided out of his seat and was about to pass Rebor- Reboyama-sensei who was grading the in class assignments with speed he was _sure_ did **not **exist, when Reborn called to him.

"Tsunayoshi,"

Tsuna turned inclining his to Reborn and marveled at the fact that his throat loosened a little. It wasn't loose to the point where he could talk, not that he would even dream of it, but it made it a little easier to breathe in Reborn's presence. That usually only happened with children, animals and Kyoya.

Reborn looked up at him, stopping his breakage of the laws of reality (like seriously were they an anime or something? There was no way that light speed was possible.) and reached under the desk to hand Tsuna a bento.

Tsuna's eyebrows basically disappeared through his eyebrows as he took it hesitantly.

Reborn turned stern, (but definitely soft, Tsuna concluded) eyes to him.

"Mama made this for you, Tsuna." Reborn said, "A mafia boss must eat right. Three meals a day Tsunayoshi, or else." Tsuna shivered, detecting the the soft but sure threat in Reborn's voice. He was sure he didn't want to know what the "or else" was. Reborn was kind, but he was stern and would give him punishment he was sure.

He nodded, sending Reborn a small smile for a thank you and walked out the door.

He closed the door behind him and turned to leave and nearly shrieked in his mind when he noticed a silver-haired boy, leaning casually against the wall.

The silver-haired transfer student stared cooly into Tsuna's eyes and Tsuna could once again feel his heart plummeting at least a thousand feet, as his intuition cackled at him.

_Storms a brewing, Tsuna! _His intuition laughed. _And where there is storm is rain and lightning._

Tsuna shook off his intuition and hesitantly turned his back to Gokudera-san, keeping one eye on him as he slowly walked down the hallway and nearly froze when he noticed Gokudera-san push of the wall and follow him after three steps.

He was conflicted. One one hand, he could not lose Gokudera. Gokudera was Smoking Bomb Hayato, he was mafia, and Tsuna was Tsuna right now and he had no desire to pull out Cielo.

On the other hand, he had to go check to make sure Kyoya had not slaughtered Lambo and that they were getting along quite nicely.

His intuition pushed at his mind, and giddy excitement flooded him as his feet moved without his consent. He sighed. He'd just have to see now wouldn't he? He thought as his feet took him to the reception room.

* * *

Lambo Bovino had been shadowing Hibari Kyoya with the determination of a stalker. He was there when Hibari bit to death undisciplined herbivores making Hibari go a little easier on them, trying to refrain from showing the child blood, least Tsunayoshi become angry with him.

He was there when he did paperwork and ordered around the disciplinary committee. And he was even watching carefully as he took his nap. Hibari's ire had slowly begun to rise as the child's eyes followed him even now, as he finished off a pile of paperwork-one of many-.

He sighed, and set down his pen, folding his hands and looking towards the small child who sat erect on the couch, back straight hands to himself, something Hibari was sure he didn't do often.

"What do you want?" he growled softly at the child. Lambo showed no fear but curiousity and determination shown in his electric green eyes.

"How do you become a hero?" his innocent question rung through the room.

"What?" Hibari blurted out.

"T-Tsuna-san said you were a hero. How did you become his hero?"

Hibari felt something uncomfortably warm stir at the pit of his belly and in his heart at being called Tsunayoshi's hero. Yeah, he had to get himself checked out, he may have been sick. He could have a virus or something.

He cleared his throat.

"I became strong so I could protect Namimori." _And Tsunayoshi _his mind added.

"H-How do you become strong?" Lambo asked bordering on a demand. He fingered his hair as he thought of all the weapons he stored there and he flinched. Drawing up his collar more, to hide it. "I tried to be strong once." He said softly, "I-I made something that could send the me who was strong to the past where I was weak and needed to be strong but, doing that just caused me trouble. And now, I'm weaker." His fists curled.

Kyoya was sympathetic, he could remember the time when he had desperately wished he could be strong, stronger than anyone else. It was at that time he realised he wanted to be a carnivore. So he could protect the little herbivores.

"You train, you work hard, and you practice."

Lambo's brows furrowed as he tried to process this. Then he asked another question. "Is something wrong with this school?"

"Why would you say that?" Hibari asked sharply offended that the boy would even think that.

A strange contemplative expression came on the child's face, like he was trying to solve a very hard math question. "Tsuna-san started to act strange when we got here. B-Before he was speaking to me in fluent Italian but now..." Lambo trailed off a bit, "He's speaking in broken japanese. Does he not know Japanese? Is this place bad? It seems to make him unhappy."

Hibari scowled, Tsuna had spoken? More than just a few words and he'd _missed it? _A slight envy for the child bubbled up. He didn't even know how precious Tsuna's words were. Hibari removed himself from his desk to kneel next to the child, making eye contact that he child was unable to look away from.

"Listen very carefully," he told the child sharply, "Do not repeat to anyone other than I, that Tsunayoshi speaks understand? If you do, he'll get in trouble."

Hibari waited for these words to sink in before he continued. "Tsunayoshi's words are very precious and he rarely speaks. He talked to you because you were in trouble, be grateful. From now on he probably won't speak much unless you are alone. His japanese is fine. This place just brings him bad memories, because this place has bad herbivores in it. So, no matter what, you can never tell anyone he speaks, understand?"

Lambo took a second, Tsuna-san would get in trouble. Oh,no he did not want that. He shivered at the notion. He didn't want Tsuna-san to get in trouble. Trouble meant pain. No, no he didn't want that anymore. He wanted to protect Tsuna-nii. He was very happy that Tsuna-san had taken the time to speak to him when his words meant that much. Lambo decided that he'd become a hero like Hero-san and protect Tsuna-sa-nii, Tsuna-nii from the "bad herbivores".

Lambo nodded, eyes glowing slightly, "Okay."

* * *

Gokudera Hayato was his shadow, and as much as it unnerved Tsuna, during the short walk to the Reception room he'd learned to live with it. Especially with the aura that the boy was emmiting. The aura of death. His world had come crashing down much like Tsuna's one day, he knew. And somehow that crashing had something to do with today.

Gokudera-san was much sadder than usual and that made Tsuna want to do something special for the boy and as long as Gokudera promised not to tell it shouldn't be a problem. Gokudera struck him as someone who didn't care much for another's personal affairs. He was not a blab and he frankly gave of an aura of "I don't give a shit" so Tsuna doubted he be to interested in him. Besides the whole, you know, shadow thing Gokudera didn't seem to care much about him.

And Tsuna wasn't going to be Decimo (he just _knew_ that was why he was here. It's like, come on. Why else would so many mafiosa be in _Japan _of all places?) that was Ieyetsu so after today Gokudera wouldn't pay that much attention to him. Plus, he wasn't yet under Ieyetsu's thumb. Not yet.

Yeah, it'd all work out just fine.

His intuition laughed again.

He ignored it, preferring to open the door to the Reception room. What he saw was almost astounding. Kyoya was kneeling next to the cow child, a soft, almost gentle expression on his face as if he'd just finished skating over a delicate matter, but firm.

Lambo had a determined, protective look on his face as well as a slight awe and light fury. Tsuna knocked on the open door to alert them of his presence. immediately both eyes snapped to him.

He inhaled a mute gasp of shock.

Lambo's eyes were _glowing._

He blinked, and it was gone. Gone was the face etched with determination, protection, awe and fury and instead Lambo adopted a bright look.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow and looked from Tsuna to Gokudera Hayato.

Tsuna shrugged sheepishly.

Kyoya raised a tonfa slightly and Tsuna shook his head.

Kyoya nodded loosening his grip slightly and Tsuna smiled.

Tsuna turned to Gokudera and smiled nervously at the stoic silverette and closed the door behind him. And locked it, and pulled the blinds, and checked the windows.

Once he was sure he licked his lips nervously.

He saw Kyoya's eyes widen slightly.

Tsuna tested his throat. It was surprisingly lax, and he guessed it must have been the waves of calm encouragement his sober intuition was sending him.

_"T-t-t-t-t-ti sei div-v-v-v-vertit-t-t-to?_" he stuttered horribly but he got it out.

He saw Lambo's eyes soften in what looked like understanding and admiration far above his years. _"Si,molto."_ Lambo answered softly. Lambo understood. Tsuna was not comfortable talking in Japanese in this school.

_"H-ho port-tatoil pran-n-n-n-n-n-nzo."_ Tsuna offered, magically producing the lunch Reborn gave him and Kyoya's lunch.

Okay, it wasn't magic, he'd been carrying Kyoya's the whole time. He'd made it yesterday morning and snagged it this morning. Tsuna spared a glance at Gokudera while Kyoya swaggered over to take his purple wrapped bento.

Gokudera was in shock.

Tsuna hesitantly edged over to him_."V-v-v-vuoi un po '_?" he offered.

* * *

Ti sei Divertito?: Did you have fun?

Si, molto.: Yes, a lot.

Ho portatoil pranzo. :I brought lunch

Vuoi un po': Want some?

* * *

Gokudera, in few words, was in shock. Sawada _spoke?_ From what Reborn had told him and what he had gathered, Sawada Tsunayoshi _never _spoke. So what was this? This trickery? Was Sawada a liar?

No, Gokudera calmed himself, think, observe.

Sawada stuttered horribly, he was not used to talking to other people. His whole body aura kinda radiated kindness, determination and fear. A whole lot of fear.

So Sawada was not incapable of talking he just chose not to? Why? It took a lot of mental power and self control to stop yourself from talking. So either someone stopping him or something happened that made him stop.

Regardless, the brunette trusted him enough to speak to him. And it made Gokudera bleak, sad day, highlight just a little bit.

He nodded still slightly dazed and Sawada flashed him a blinding smile. It was small but it was as bright as the sun.

Hibari Kyoya, Sawada and a child settled in a circle on the floor and he followed suit, until he noticed something.

"Lambo Bovino, what are you doing here?" he asked the child harshly.

The child shrieked at him, angling his body so he was partially behind Sawada as he shouted, "Lambo-san can go wherever he wants! What are _you _doing here Bakadera?"

So yeah, they had a history. Unfortunately, he had the _pleasure _of babysitting the brat once in a while for an odd job when he'd ran away from that house.

"None of your business," he snarled at the cow child. Inside though he was just the slightest bit happy to see a familiar face. But Lambo brought trouble with him. "And since you won't tell me how about I blast you to kingdom come?"

Instantly he whipped out dynamite, lit, and ready to throw at Lambo. But before he could hurl them at the annoying cow child, they were flushed out. He snarled looking away from his target to see who had dared to stop him.

Sawada.

_Sawada._

Let's back it up. Repeat.

_Sawada Tsunayoshi, mute Sawada Tsunayoshi, held his dynamite, fingers burnt slightly, __**en-fucking-raged.**_

Sawada's eyes glowed orange and he felt a heavy oppressive aura surround him, forcing him onto a knee. Sawada loomed over him, a snarl marring his face.

"_Cosa pensi di fare?"_ Sawada snarled quietly and Gokudera trembled as his heavy aura pressed on him more. _"Che cazzo hai pensato che stavi per fare? Come osi tentare che in mia presenza! Su un bambino del cazzo!" _

Shit, Gokudera thought, If Sawada was so pissed that he was cursing in _italian _without stuttering, not bothering to switch back to japanese, then he had really committed an offence. Gokudera could do nothing but stop to think about.

What _was _he going to do to Lambo? What _had _he been doing? Lambo was an annoying cow child but still, was Gokudera really about to bomb the child until he bleed. The day had gotten to him a lot more than he thought. He usually just tossed the cow on his ass, but now he'd been trying to really _hurt_ Lambo. Was he that out of it today?

Suddenly it was clear. That was a very, very terrible thing to do. And he could think of nothing to say to make it better.

"_Mi-mi dispiace. Mi dispiace,Lambo." _He said lowly.

And slowly as if making sure he was sincere the oppressing aura retracted and replaced with a warm forgiving one. He looked up to see, Sawada's eyes soften and a smile come to his lips. Then he looked at Lambo, who looked purely curious but also immensely grateful for the thank you.

"Great, everyone's kissed and made up," Hibari Kyoya's monotonous sarcastic voice broke through the silence, second only to one other.

_Somewhere in the world, a child with an apple hat on sneezed._

"Now Tsunayoshi, _shut up and get over here."_ Hibari snatched Sawada's hand dragging him to the prefects side. Then Hibari continued to look over Tsunayoshi while berating him with his eyes to which Tsunayoshi pouted too.

"You're almost at your limit," Hibari commented. "Hm, and I wanted a song today."

Tsuna sent Kyoya an apologetic smile, knowing how rare it was for Kyoya to want a song, and gestured back to the room.

He walked and sat back in the circle, opening his ridiculously sized bento and dividing it up for everyone.

Needless to say Gokudera was still in shock and he went further into shock when Sawada looked over at him and gestured him to join them. And then lost all his marbles, when his body disobeyed him and walked over to sit next to Lambo who despite his flinch, didn't move away and instead angled his body to talk to Sawada while subtly leaning his weight on Gokudera. Letting the silverette know he was forgiven.

Numbly Gokudera picked up a pair of red chopsticks and took a shrimp. The taste that hit his tounge was indescribable.

"Wow, this is great!" he exclaimed.

* * *

_Cosa pensi di fare?: What do you think you are doing?_

___Che cazzo hai pensato che stavi per fare? Come osi tentare che in mia presenza! Su un bambino del cazzo!: What the fuck do you think you were going to do? How dare you attempt that in my prescence. On a child!_

___"__Mi-mi dispiace. Mi dispiace,Lambo.: I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Lambo_

* * *

Tsuna smiled softly at the childlike excitement that shined in Gokudera's eyes at he ate with gusto, occasionally stopping to argue familiarly with Lambo when they picked the same food to eat and reached for it. He sighed softly and leaned on Kyoya, tired out from all the speaking he had to do. Physically he was exhausted. Mentally he was exhausted. Emotionally he'd given himself whiplash and he wanted to rest a bit.

His heart fluttered at the sounds of company, even as unsused to it as he was, it amde him feel good.

He frowned..._Why _had he gotten unused to it? Why was he alone?

Shivers of fear temporarily racked his body as he rememebred.

_Ieyetsu._

Ieyetsu would take his precious people. He'd forgotten. Ieyetsu stole or he hurt. If he couldn't have Tsuna's friends he'd break them. Kyoya was strong he could protect himself. He could not be swayed and although Ieyetsu tried he couldn't be broken.

But Lambo, Lambo was young, he was fragile, he could be broken so easily...

And Gokudera, wasn't even a friend, but Ieyetsu would break him to, just for being with him.

And _God forbid _he found out he spoke. If that ever happened, someone was going to die. He could feel it. And he would not let anyone die for him and he would not kill Ieyetsu, therefore he would die. It was plain and simple.

Kyoya shifted closer to him, gently bumping their elbows and Tsuan layed his head on kyoya's shoulder in distress. subtly Lambo pressed agaisnt his side a little more giving him his warmth and even Gokudera's fingers strayed from his meal to stroke Tsuna's ankle.

It was like they were all comforting them in their own way. It warmed his heart.

If only...

It could last.

This peace.

And at that moment, the bell rung, signalling the next class. And Tsuna wasn't sure he could get through the day. But he would try. Yes, he would. He would try to survive like he always did.

* * *

"Vroii! Shitty boss!" bellowed the long haired commander. Without even thinking he ducked and noted the glass whisky bottle that shattered against the wall just where his skull should have been.

How his boss had perfect aim without even seeing him, he would never know.

"What, Shark-Trash?" his boss's husky voice sounded through the door and he resisted the urge to shiver.

"All flights to Japan are cancelled." Squalo said in a normal tone.

"Che," Xanxus snorted, "That Trash is trying to delay us."

"Course of action, boss?" Squalo asked politely knowing how sensitive the information Cielo got was.

"Cheh, fire up the jet, we leave tomorrow."

Squalo grinned. "Vroii! I'm on it shitty boss!"

And he swaggered out the room, bellowing out, "VROII! SHITTY CREW! GET YOU'RE ASSES IN GEAR! WE'RE HUNTING DOWN THE FUCKER TOMORROW."

* * *

Reborn had to admit, Tsuna was helping his plans go along, very, very well. I mean, come on? He bonded with _three _of the possible six guardians already? Even if he didn't know it, Tsunayoshi looked like he was aiming to win.

Reborn grinned underneath is fedora. Yes, he could see. Tsuna was a protogey child. And while he was slightly upset he wouldn't get to mold him he was so excited to see what the soft brunette would become.

Ja, now to other _annoyances._

Reborn watched from his hiding spot in the wall as Ieyetsu interacting with everyone in the classroom. Every student seemed to either love him or have varying degrees of respect for him, and that disgusted Reborn.

Could they not see through that plastic smile to the devil within?

Reborn had often been called a devil in his life time, but he at least, was a devil with morals.

Ieyetsu was just an insane devil obsessing over a piece of prey, allowing none of the prey's herd to get closer as he stood overbearing over the injured prey.

It was sickening.

How Ieyetsu thought of Tsuna as prey

Reborn watched as Ieyetsu faked laughs and how people patted him on the back and his eyes strayed. To Tsuna's desk and he noticed things. Carvings. His eyes sharpened.

**_Loser._**

**_Just fucking die already._**

**_Reject._**

**_Weakling!_**

**_Dame-Tsuna!_**

**_Suffer._**

**_The only place someone like you deserves to be is six feet under._**

Reborn lost it. Or he was close to it. He was so close. He was clutching his fedora, the fabric crunching under his hands and Leon had turned into a very red shade. The chameleon shifted, turning into a bright red gun in Reborn's hand of the lizard's own free will. He wanted to kill too. Reborn gripped the gun handle tightly and forced himself to walk away.

Trembling with rage, Reborn turned around and walked down one of his many tunnels and hoped to find Tsunayoshi to calm himself.

No, wait. He had something to do first. He changed his direction.

Mama, needed a better job. And Reborn needed to let out some steam. Saa, so why don't he just go assassinate that handsy boss of hers? Yes, that sounds like a plan.

A feral smile curled Reborn's lips.

A very good plan indeed.

* * *

Tsuna just had to be there for him. So sooth some of the pain the boy felt. Even if he was breaking curfew again. Even if he was going to get beat again. He would do it. because Gokudera did not deserve that pain. So Tsuna would sing him a lullaby to get rid of some of the anger that hid the sadness and then get rid of the sadness.

Even as he hid in the art room he still determinedly thought he would do it.

Even if it killed him.

* * *

Gokudera held his breath as yet another disciplinary committee member passed by his hiding spot before he darted out into the hallway towards the music room. It was way past the end of school, his mind was completely muddled with confusion, sadness, and a happiness he hadn't know for a long time.

Sawada Tsunayoshi was an enigma, he decided.

He made people act differently. Gokudera could not erase the elatedness he felt when Sawada forgave him and accepted his brush of comfort. He could not even find the reason why he had comforted Sawada. He just knew he had to, when the brunette's mood suddenly dropped and he started to tremble. He had needed to help him.

But now he was confused. _Why_ had he needed to help Sawada? _Why_ had he comforted Sawada? _Why_ had Sawada forgiven him?

And more than that, the sadness of the date wore down on him and as he stood outside the music room door, he wondered if the pain he felt would ever lighten.

He sighed and pushed the door open, not quite expected the sight that greeted him.

The object of his confusion sat perched on the piano bench, fingers on the left hand absentmindedly tapping a children's tone.

When the door opened, the brunette's head snapped up and he smiled serenely at him, beckoning Gokudera to take a seat.

Once again Gokudera's body betrayed him, answering to a call that wasn't his, as he walked over and sat on the piano bench.

He made no move to play and Sawada smiled, gently placing both of Gokudera's hands on the keys. He brunette scooted a bit, giving him space and closed his eyes.

He was giving him a choice. He was allowing Gokudera to choose whether to play or to leave by not imposing him with those eyes.

Gokudera took a deep breath and hesitantly pressed down a key, inclining his head to watch Sawada and smiled too when a smile flittered across the brunette's lips.

He took another deep breath and actually started playing, splaying out all his feelings for the view, he knew only one song, that could convey his longing and sadness.

He played for a while, toying with the song for he got serious and started to actually play it letting his feelings guide him. And he was surprised when a soft, beautiful voice joined the melody.

_~More than Words, Unknown~_

_Saying I love you  
Is not the words I want to hear from you  
It's not that I want you  
Not to say, but if you only knew  
How easy it would be to show me how you feel  
More than words is all you have to do to make it real  
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me  
Cos I'd already know_

In a painful haze, Gokudera joined the beautiful sorrowful voice with his own deep tone. And unknowingly, he'd begun to cry. A soft hand held his shoulder and squeezed gently as they continued to sing.

_What would you do if my heart was torn in two_  
_More than words to show you feel_  
_That your love for me is real_  
_What would you say if I took those words away_  
_Then you couldn't make things new_  
_Just by saying I love you_

_More than words_

_Now I've tried to talk to you and make you understand_  
_All you have to do is close your eyes_  
_And just reach out your hands and touch me_  
_Hold me close don't ever let me go_  
_More than words is all I ever needed you to show_  
_Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me_  
_Cos I'd already know_

_What would you do if my heart was torn in two_  
_More than words to show you feel_  
_That your love for me is real_  
_What would you say if I took those words away_  
_Then you couldn't make things new_  
_Just by saying I love you_

_More than words_

Gokudera's hands went heavy after the last note, creating a very painful sound as he sobbed, curling into himself. Arms brought him to a soft chest, and he didn't fight it, simply letting himself stain the white shirt with his tears as a soft hand combed through his silver hair and sweet words were whispered in his ear.

Normally, he'd never allow this to happen. But Sawada Tsunayoshi made him feel safe. And today was his lowest point. He'd never realised just how much he'd wanted his mother to be there for him. Not just to say "I love you", but to show it in volumes with hugs and kisses and comfort. He wanted his mother. He wanted her _back. _He wanted every bed time story he never got _back. _He wanted every home cooked meal he never got _back. _He wanted every smile and good morning _back. _He wanted every kiss and warm hug _back. _He wanted days at the park, at the beach, at the movies _back._ Most of all? He wanted her back. So that he could hug her and tell her "I'm sorry" and "I love you" a million times.

"She loves you very much," Sawada said suddenly. "And you don't have to be sorry for anything. She knows. She knows about it all. And she just wants you to be happy."

Gokudera stopped crying, ripping out of Sawada's warm embrace to glare at him. "How would you know? How would _you _know how I feel?" he said harshly.

Sawada only smiled and pain reflected in his eyes. "I know what it feels like to lose a person. Someone you thought you'd be the closest to. Someone who you loved with all your heart. I know what if feels like to have your world and everything you thought you knew crumble at your feet. The only difference is, my person didn't have to die, to destroy my world. He just had to _change."  
_There was a darkness in Sawada before he smiled again. "It was your mother, right?" he asked softly. And Gokudera flinched, not meeting his eyes. "When my father abandoned my family, you know, my mother told me something."

Gentle fingers pried Gokudera's eyes off the floor as they wiped tears. " 'It's a mother's job to protect her children and do what's best for her children. And if there's one thing in the world you can be certain of is even if she does,"

They locked eyes. Orange eyes holding the soft, tenderness Gokudera had always needed to see.

"A mother's love will never die.' "


	5. Chapter Fou- NOT

...Okay, you're going to be pissed. Almost a month and nothing but an author's note? Yeah I know, I suc- NO DON'T SKIP, THE FUTURE OF ANGELO CIELO DEPENDS ON THIS AUTHORS NOTE!

...Did that get your attention? Awesome! Soooooo, I finally figured out who the fuck I couldn't finish writing the awesome, fantabulous, amazing, chapter four of Angelo Cielo!

I HAD to get this out of my system.

...I wrote another story. I know, I know, DON'T YELL AT ME! Just go read it. You don't even have to review if you don't really want to (though it would be greatly appreciated and would help the process) I just had to get it out of my system.

YOSH! Now I can finish your darling chapter 4! Rejoice!

Adiou,

Zahira


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